What Was Left Behind
by ElGato44
Summary: Tezuka was always mentally stable and strong. He is put to the ultimate test when his hatred is rekindled and his world crumbles around him. semi-AU. R&R Please!
1. Blissful Listlessness

Disclaimer: I do not own PoT. Just messing with some characters.

Chapter 1: Blissful Listlessness

Inoue Mamoru, a reporter for a tennis magazine, stepped out of a dusty old jeep outside of a town in the middle of the desert. He could clearly see the sand dunes of Egypt behind the stone temple. The Nile, however, was about two or three kilometers away so the air seemed less dry.

How and why he came all the way to Egypt was an interesting story in itself. After covering a story on child tennis prodigy, Ryoma Echizen, he and his photographer, Shiba, began turning their attention to an equally talented member of Seigaku's tennis team, Kunimitsu Tezuka. The boy was an enigma, to say the least. Silent and cold, it was a mystery how he became that way. According to Fuji, Tezuka's quiet disposition was already like that before the incident with his arm, but he had no idea why. Inoue had the pleasant experience of meeting Tezuka's grandfather and found that he had the same disposition as his grandson, but Inoue thought something was missing. Inoue tried to get a hold of Tezuka's parents. It proved to be more difficult than anticipated, so he decided to try to get some information from Coach Ryuzaki.

Inoue knocked on Coach Ryuzaki's office door. "Come in," came a low female voice.

"Ryuzaki-sensei?" Inoue opened the door slightly. Ryuzaki smiled, "Well, Mr. Inoue. How may I help you?"

"I hope you don't mind, but I came here to ask a few questions."

"About Ryoma?"

Inoue shook his head, "Not this time. It's on Kunimitsu Tezuka."

Coach Ryuzaki looked surprised. Everyone knew Kunimitsu was an elite player, probably the best there is but rarely was anyone interested in him. No one except her granddaughter, Sakuno, ever asked her anything about him.

"I cannot get a hold of his family, only his grandfather. But he is too busy to talk," he paused, "Officer Hadakuru seemed agitated when I asked him."

"Have you not thought to ask him yourself?"

Inoue gave a wry smirk, "As a reporter, it is my job to get as much outside information as possible, then dive in for the final input. Also, ever since he reached high school Tezuka has been busier and busier. It is to my understanding that he is a junior this year, is he not? And I also take pride in…"

"You're afraid of him, aren't you," Ryuzaki said knowingly.

Inoue admitted bluntly, "Terrified." He couldn't explain it, but every time he looked into the kid's eyes, his spine shuddered in wonder of what sort of things is going through Tezuka's mind.

"Since my last few stories on Ryoma were hits, I thought of continuing on with more stories Samurai Nanjiro and his son. But I think I need something different. Now that Ryoma is starting high school the old Seigaku team is surely to return. I also hear you are the sponsor for the high school team as well. You've worked with Tezuka for a long time, surely you can give me something," Inoue knew he was rambling but he wanted just the tiniest information from this woman.

Ryuzaki just smiled, "I admit that none of the Seigaku team expected Kunimitsu to return that year. He had planned on going to Germany and we were all convinced that we would never see him again."

Inoue thought about it, "Come to think of it, I did hear something about that. So why didn't he go? With his skill, he would have no problem being a top competitor. What changed his mind?"

"Well, to my understanding, there are many reasons. School being among them but I will tell you that is not the main reason," Ryuzaki frowned looking remorseful.

"What is?"

"It is not my place to tell you," she answered sternly, making Inoue feel like a scolded child. His heart sank. "But I will give this little bit: His skill is in the blood. That is all I can say."

Inoue left Seishun Junior High with Coach Ryuzaki's words floating around in his head. He was smarter than he looked. He knew she meant Tezuka's bloodline, just as Ryoma Echizen's skill could be attributed to his father's skill. Inoue called an investigator friend to get information on the boy's family, before driving to Nanjiro Echizen's house for tennis lessons. Saori Shiba came along since she had a car and Inoue did not have a ride. They found Echizen lying on his deck stroking a Himalayan cat, "Ah, Mr. Inoue. Back for more?"

"Yes," Inoue answered succinctly, bowing.

Echizen led Inoue to his court, "Alright Mr. Inoue do you remember the fundamentals of the typical split-step?"

"Of course," Inoue began bouncing on his toes, spinning his racket with his hands.

"Good, now-,"

A sharp ringing noise from Inoue's bag interrupted Nanjiro.

"How respectful Inoue-sempai, keeping your phone on when someone is trying to teach you something," Shiba scolded. Inoue apologized and took out his cell phone to answer.

"Ah, well, its not like I have anything else to do," Echizen scratched his chin. "He's improving, yet he still has a ways to go." As Echizen shouldered his racket, Inoue hung up the phone, a curious look on his face.

"What is it?" Shiba asked.

"I've got a name to Kunimitsu Tezuka. His father is Tora Tezuka," Inoue answered.

"Tezuka…Tezuka…"Nanjiro mumbled distantly searching his memory, "That sounds familiar. Wait! Tora Tezuka?!" Inoue and Shiba jumped at his outburst.

"Yes. Do you know him?"

Nanjiro looked stern and folded his arms, "He's the only tennis player to beat me."

"He…beat you?" Inoue looked shocked. His seemingly invincible hero admitted to him that he was defeated once.

"I hate to admit it, but it was very one sided," Nanjiro sat on the bench. "I got too cocky."

"He must be good then," Shiba stated, "to beat you…"

Nanjiro scratched his behind, "I knew we would have a re-match the next year, but to my chagrin…"

"That's a big word for you," Shiba scoffed.

"Shut up. To my chagrin he disappeared. That was my last year playing tennis and all I wanted was a rematch."

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"Hell should I know," Echizen shrugged, "You asked the old hag didn't you?"

"She didn't give me much," Inoue murmured.

"Well I won't leave you with nothing. They called him the 'Tiger', named after his Tiger Shot."

"Tiger Shot?"

Echizen nodded, "Impossible for any human to return it without losing a limb or something. But it's not just his shot, it's…other things as well."

"Like what?"

Nanjiro Echizen scratched his head, "You know I can't recall the specifics…"

"What do you mean?!" Shiba yelled in frustration. "Shouldn't you have a more vivid memory of the only man to defeat you?!"

"Eh?" Echizen backed away, "I just wanted to forget it. I don't take losing gracefully."

"Why am I not surprised?"

That night Inoue went on his computer and searched 'Tora Tezuka'. There was an article of him winning the National Tournament, but he found another article from England with the lineup of a tennis tournament. It was three years after the National Tournament. He e-mailed the article to Shiba.

Inoue had to convince his editor to give him and Shiba flight tickets to England. The chief editor was reasonable and allowed them leave to fly to England. However, when Inoue arrived at the airport, Shiba rushed to his side, "Wait, Inoue-sempai!"

"What is it?"

"He's not in England," Shiba huffed. "I contacted a sports journalist in England on Tora. He e-mailed me saying he left England six years ago.

"Did he say where he went?"

Shiba nodded, "To Egypt."

A/N: A few things. When I started thinking of this story, I did not know Tezuka's family was ever specifically mentioned. I only knew he had a grandfather. So because of this is AU. I know that in Japan, the family name is often mentioned first, so sorry if my reversal pisses some of you guys off, but I have some foreign characters so switching can be confusing and a hassle for me and probably for some readers as well. Just bear with me. A few chapters of this story contain a crossover with characters from a game called Bladestorm by Koei. I have another fanfic on here about that game, so it was on the mind when I wrote the draft. The chapter title is taken from the song "Losing" by Hurt. Please Review!!!!


	2. The Old Mission

Disclaimer: Do not own PoT

Chapter 2: The Old Mission

Now Inoue stood in front of the stone façade of an Egyptian temple. Once they arrived in Egypt they spoke to the British Embassy and to some Cairo journalists. They all said that Tora Tezuka resided in a temple in a town just outside the North Delta region of Tel-El-Basti.

"Inoue-sempai," Shiba came up beside him, staring at the statues that guarded the entrance. Inoue did notice a tabby cat splayed on the ledge at the feet of one of the statues, staring at him intently.

Inoue took a deep breath, "Let's go." It took both Inoue and Shiba's strength to open the stone doors. Once opened they both were taken aback. It lead to a long dim passage, gas filled sconces lighting the way. The walls were lined with hieroglyphics and relief etchings. Shiba fiddled with her camera.

"No, Shiba," Inoue stopped her, "This is a temple. It is not polite to take pictures without permission."

Slowly the made their way down the hall, but stopped when they heard approaching footsteps from the opposite end. A tan-skinned bald man wearing a white drapery wrapped securely around his body like a toga, approached them, "Is there something I can help you with?" The older man looked curious as to why these two strangers were here. "You must excuse the barrenness of this place, a few of our dervishes and priests are absent."

"Do you know where they are?"

The man answered, "They went to Japan."

Inoue felt sick all of the sudden. "Japan? Why? Do you know?"

"They gathered a team to play tennis at the Japanese Invitational."

_No way!_ Inoue and Shiba looked at each other. "Excuse me, but do you know if Tora Tezuka was among them?"

"Tezuka?" the man stared back at them, "Yes, he left with other players…Are you unwell?" He addressed the sudden paleness and discomfort he saw in Inoue. Inoue began sweating profusely and loosened his collar, "No, I just need some water."

"Hmm. Wait here," the man retreated back down the hall. Inoue and Shiba waited in silence, unsure of what to say or how to react. Soon enough the man came back with a basin of water and a ladle.

"Thank you very much," Inoue dipped the ladle in the bowl to scoop some much-needed water out and placed the ladle to his lips.

"Tora…"

Inoue stopped his drinking to hear what the man had to say. "Tora has helped the town by building a tennis court. It provided entertainment for the priests and by having the kids get involved in tennis it reduced their chances at getting involved in drugs or violence."

"Wow, he made a court?" Shiba repeated.

"Courts. And a basketball court. "

Inoue got up and bowed, "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but thank you for the information." He and Shiba both turned to leave but the man caught them with a few more words, "I'd be careful when seeking Tora, though. You have no idea what you are getting into."

**

Nanjiro picked up the ringing phone seemingly annoyed. Ryoma sat at the table with his cousin and mother.

"Yeah what is it?" Nanjiro huffed.

"Nanjiro-kun I have something to ask you," came Ryuzaki-sensei's voice.

Ryoma watched as his father's face grew solemn and he noticed something else in his face. Was it fear? "Yes," his father said sternly. He didn't say anything after that, but hung up after a while. He sat back down with a sigh and noticed his son staring at him. "What are you staring at?" he snapped.

**

It was a mild afternoon at Seishun High School and after a sharp bell rang, hundreds of uniformed students filed out of the school building. Only a few staying behind. Momoshiro Takeshi and Eiji Kikumaru walked to the tennis courts together, thoroughly excited about the new tennis season. Last year, the Seigaku High School regulars took the Nationals by storm. Pro-scouts and University scouts swarmed to see Japan's best at work. Now that Ryoma Echizen his high school career, confidence was high that Seigaku would win the Nationals again.

Momoshiro stopped in his tracks at the girl's court. "What is it Momo?" Eiji asked. Momo was staring at one girl in particular. She was beautiful, Eiji couldn't deny that. The girl was shapely with full lips, green eyes, and long wavy brown hair.

"Oh, her," Eiji shook Momo out of his trance, "She's a transfer student from Italy, I believe. Maria Lucia."

"And boy is she…" Momo whispered. Eiji piched his arm, "An-chan would be furious if she found you ogling another woman. And I'd hate to see what Tachibana would do to you…"

"Alright, I get the point…" Momo groused tearing body away from the fence.

"Well from what I hear Maria is the school trainers' assistant. She helps take care of all sports related injuries. Kaido met her once when he sprained his ankle and he gave her nothing but praise, which is odd…"

"What! Snake-man got to her before me?!"

"Would you focus? Anyway, she's vice captain of the girls' regulars this year. The girls' team is looking good," Eiji patted Momo on the back before sprinting ahead into the locker room. "Let's hurry. Ryuzaki-sensei says she has a surprise for us."

The Regulars did basic warm-up and conditioning that session. Shuichiro Oishi met with the captain, Kunimitsu Tezuka. "Everyone's here, Tezuka-san, Ryoma's doing well as usual and Kaidoh's strength has improved."

Oishi received a silent nod, yet something worried him. Oishi knew not to express his worries to Tezuka. Even if it did involve him.

"Regulars! Gather around!" Coach Ryuzaki's forceful voice called out.

"So Ryuzaki-sensei, what is this 'big surprise' you told us about?" Kikumaru smiled.

"I'm getting to that. Some officials of the Japanese Invitational have contacted me a few days ago. As a reward for winning Nationals they are inviting us all to see the Invitational."

Momo hollered his pleasure, "Alright!" Kikumaru embraced his doubles partner. All of the regulars seemed as excited as their respective personalities would exhibit.

"This is a chance to see tennis pros from all over the world compete," Ryuzaki stated, "Now clean up. Practice is over."

Many of the regulars helped clean up the balls and organize the equipment but Oishi stopped Coach Ryuzaki, "Sensei."

Ryuzaki spun around. "Is there something wrong, Oishi?"

"I'm worried, sensei," Oishi said in an undertone, glancing over at his captain. Tezuka was carrying two baskets of balls to the shed. "Captain Tezuka. He is unwell isn't he."

Ryuzaki's expression became open yet solemn. "I do not think he is sick per se. It could be just fatigue…"

"From what? He has been balancing schoolwork and tennis well, until now. Is there something else?" Oishi did not rule out fatigue or stress. The circles under Tezuka's eyes revealed possible lack of sleep. Anyone else would chalk it up to difficult course work and the responsibilities of the captain of the tennis team. Oishi knew there was something different.

"It is not for me to answer, " Ryuzaki seemed somewhat worn with Oishi's questions. This made him even more uneasy, but did not rebuke. He was excited to tell his family about seeing the Japanese Invitational in a few weeks.

**

It was well past dark, but Maria Lucia remained in the lighted court practicing against the tennis wall. All of her teammates were excused and left a while ago and boys' regulars had left as well. She figured she was alone, and kept her focus on her training. She had little idea that someone else walked by…

"Excuse me," came a deep sharp male voice. Maria stopped, slightly annoyed. "Yes?"

She turned to find a tall young man in the school uniform standing by the fence. He had brown hair and glasses that covered piercing eyes.

"What is it?" she asked as politely as she could force herself to. Who dares to interrupt her training? Once she's in the zone, it's hell to get her out.

"I was going to ask if you could turn off the lights and lock the equipment shed when you finish," the man entered the court. She found that she was shouldering a tennis bag.

"Normally, I would wait for everyone to finish up, but I must return home…" he had very little expression in his face or in his tone.

"I'm sorry for keeping you out so late," Maria apologized half-heartedly. The young man however answered, "It's nothing to worry about Miss…"

Maria looked away from him in slight disdain and embarrassment. She realized that the sweat was soaking her white tee. "Maria Lucia," she said. "And you must be the Tezuka guy everyone's been raving about." She didn't mean to sound so harsh. All the guys she met at this school were all he same. Ogling over her like she were some exotic dancer. She took small pride in creating an opening in the boy's expression that led her to believe that she was correct about his identity.

"Well, I'd admit you are kind of cute, but your reputation precedes you," her hands were on her hips, "It seems you are just as unsmiling as they say." She took another glance at this Kunimitsu Tezuka and she noticed something. "Are you okay? You don't look so good-" she reached up to touch his face but he backed away. "Wow you are paranoid," Maria murmured, crossing her arms. Tezuka held out some keys, "Here are the keys." Maria took them with a smile before holding out her hand, "Thank you. It's been nice meeting you, Tezuka-kun." He hesitantly took her hand, "The honor was mine, Lucia-san."

Maria stared at Tezuka's back as he walked away, thinking about how good it felt meeting a guy who didn't act like a pervert towards her. In fact, Kunimitsu Tezuka, acted like a true gentleman.

**

Tezuka stepped off the train and started his route home. He got to the familiar desolate sidewalk that he would take to his house. At first he didn't notice the three to four cats all sitting in a row along a wall ledge that separated the street from the forest and few homes. A sharp 'meow' got his attention. He stared up at the cats, mainly the black and silver one in the middle. Its unblinking yellow eyes stared back at him, seemingly interested. In his mind he knew it was odd to see a group of adult cats together. He had little choice in deciding what he should do. The silver and black cat was too well groomed for it to be a common stray.

Tezuka followed his judgment and continued walking, but he found the cat walking beside him along the ledge. Tezuka was not one to be surprised easily but this case was different. The cat wanted something, but what?

A/N: Yep. Some OC character. I don't plan on her being a major character. This story is more or less about Tezuka's journey through hell. Or is it? Who knows what will happen. The title of this chapter is a song from Hurt. I am going to use a lot of their songs as chapter titles, mainly because they are so damn good and I listened to some of their songs while writing the draft. Please Review!


	3. Shallow

Disclaimer: I don't Prince of Tennis…~sigh~

Chapter 3: Shallow

Maria was summoned to Ryuzaki's office at the Junior High along with the girl's tennis captain, Yumiko Suzuki. The aging woman held in her hands a thick envelope, "I have some things for the team. Since I a received a surplus of tickets to the Japanese Invitational, I feel that the Girls' Tennis Club should be able to go along with the Boys' Tennis Club."

"Really?" Yumiko said her eyes wide. Coach Ryuzaki handed the envelope over to Yumiko, "Here are the tickets. I am arranging transportation for the boys' and girls' teams so anyone is welcome to arrive on the bus, but if you feel better driving there, that is fine too but it would be easier to go as a group."

"Thank you so much, Ryuzaki-sensei!" Yumiko bowed, "The girls will be excited."

Yumiko thanked her again and the left the office. Maria was about to follow her out, but Coach Ryuzaki caught her, "I see you've come into contact with our Tezuka."

"Yes. Why?"

"He mentioned meeting you yesterday, which is odd, and he asked about you. He's usually a very disinterested person. It must've been something you said."

"Maybe," was the Italian girl's response, "I realize Japanese men don't like too much contact, but he takes it to a whole new level. I show the slightest concern for his health…"

"His health?" Ryuzaki repeated, "What are you talking about?" She feared it had something to do with his left arm.

"Yes, you know, clammy skin, circles under the eyes. Unless he always was like that…"

"Oh, I see. Well you must realize Kunimitsu keeps his distance from people, no matter who they are."

Maria just scoffed, "I'd like to see him go through life like that."

Ryuzaki's expression clouded over, "He's been that way for a long time."

"It's never too late to change."

Ryuzaki looked up surprised by that comment. Maria bowed, "Thank you for the tickets anyway."

_'What an interesting young lady'_ Sumire Ryuzaki thought to herself as she watched Maria Lucia leave her office.

**

Miss Nagawa packed her bag ready to head home after grading her World History papers. She was surprised to hear a knock at the door.

"Yes come in," she called. A tall man with pale brown hair and a firm jaw, entered, "Nagawa-sensei?"

"Yes?"

"I am Mamoru Inoue. I am a reporter for Tennis Monthly magazine. I am doing a personal investigation on one of your students, Kunimitsu Tezuka."

"Yes, but what about him?"

"Well, we could start with what kind of student he is."

Miss Nagawa placed her bag back down next to her desk. "Alright I can answer that."

"My sources tell me that his academics are astounding." Inoue said, though he really did not have any sources, he just came to the conclusion based on what others have said about him.

"Yes, Tezuka could very well graduate at the top of his class," Nagawa smiled, remembering the hard work Tezuka put into her World History class. "He is a pleasure to teach and it seems he is thoroughly interested in World History."

Miss Nagawa's beaming smile fell, "But…"

"But, what?" Inoue urged.

"Tezuka-kun hasn't been himself lately. I'm not sure. His grades have been slipping, though not to a point to do any major damage. Still it has worried me."

Inoue could sense her concern and thought of his next question delicately, "Do you have any idea what may have caused it?"

Nagawa shrugged, "I talked to the school advisor and he pointed to several possibilities like drugs, though I can't see Kunimitsu doing anything related to drug use or gang violence. One possibility that came to mind was family problems, but another problem could be just overworking and stress. He has a job at the Ringo Bookstore, so I'm sure trying to tackle a job and schoolwork is hard."

"I see," Inoue murmured, "Miss Nagawa, do you have any information on his parents, like a home phone number?"

"I don't have them on me, but if you can wait a week I should be able to gather all of the contact information. I plan on taking him and a few others on a field trip to the Museum in a few weeks."

Inoue bowed, "That would most helpful, thank you."

"But…" Nagawa stopped him, "I will have to get Tezuka-kun's permission first, you realize."

Inoue's heart sank, somehow he knew that information was not coming, "I do now, but thank you again."

**

"Where are we going now, Inoue-senpai?" Shiba asked her colleague.

"We are driving to a book shop. Tezuka-kun works there." Inoue answered. They pulled over to a quaint street corner, next to a shop that had a light faded sign: Ringo Bookstore. As they opened the door to the modest bookshop, a sharp bell rang, marking their entrance. The clerk's desk was empty, but they heard a man grumble from a back room. A tall, handsome older man with salt and pepper hair came out from the bak scratching the back of his head. The man reminded Inoue of a more humble version of Coach Sakaki of the Hyotei middle school team.

"Yes? Is there something you are looking for?"

"Actually, sir, we are here to ask about Kunimitsu Tezuka."

Tezuka's name captured the owner's attention, "I had Kunimitsu as an employee here."

Inoue was about to ask a follow-up question but the owner finished, "But Tezuka resigned a few weeks ago."

Shiba seemed shocked, "What? He quit?!"

The owner huffed in slight annoyance, "Quit is too strong of a word for his situation…"

The owner looked wary, his keen eyes staring into Inoue's, "Tezuka probably had no choice but to resign. It was only a part-time job anyway. Handling a job along with other activities in his life proved too much for him. " The proprietor folded his arms, "School to tennis club and now taking care of his mother, I don't blame the boy for resigning."

"His mother?"

The older man nodded, "His mother was always a sickly woman, but it wasn't until recently that she became gravely ill. He and his grandfather have to take care of her. But someone has to pay for food and bills, which is paid by his grandfather's Judo lessons. That leaves only Tezuka to take care of her."

Inoue knew the information he was getting was highly personal, and he felt heartless, yet comeback stories capture the readers' hearts. "What so you know about his father, Tora Tezuka?"

He looked up seemingly shocked. The mentioning of Tora's name was practically forbidden in old Akira Hadakuru's presence, let alone his grandson's, Kunimitsu. "Tora," he repeated with an air of spite, "left his family twelve years ago, never to be seen again. So I know nothing."

Inoue and Shiba were taken aback by the air of hate in the man's words.

"All I know, is that he was _once_ an honest good man," the owner grumbled emphasizing 'once'.

"I understand," Inoue said calmly, "I would like to visit the Tezuka household. Do you know where I can get a hold of them?"

The keeper nodded and wrote down the address of their home on a pad of notes. "It's not in the directory because Hadakuru-san took it out. Likes solitude I guess."

"Thank you," Inoue bowed and turned to leave but was stopped.

"Be wary. Remember not to mention Tora's name in that household."

Inoue nodded and he and Shiba left.

A/N: Finally! They have some answers. Poor Tezuka. And my little OC is supposed to be sorta bitchy. Understand she's from Italy, they are a little more touchy-feely than in Japan, she's still getting used to her surroundings. The character of Tezuka's grandfather is not mine but the name is just something I just made up. In my story he is the father of Tezuka's mother. Yep you guessed it the title is a Hurt song.


	4. Right in Two

Disclaimer: Nope…don't own PoT

Chapter 4: Right in Two

The reporters drove down familiar streets past a street tennis court, but Inoue took an unexpected turn in a small neighborhood.

"Uh, Inoue-senpai, these aren't what the directions say…" Shiba stared at him confused.

"I know. We are going to Ryuzaki-sensei's house first."

"What? Why?"

Inoue's expression became closed, "Ryuzaki-sensei is holding something from us."

Shiba sighed, "I admit that everyone has been acting very mysterious about the Tezuka family."

"Here we are," Inoue announced as they pulled aside a quaint middle-class house. He went to ring the bell. Only a few seconds passed before Sakuno Ryuzaki answered, "Oh, Inoue-san, Shiba-san, how can I help you?"

Shiba beamed at the girl, "Sakuno-chan, we are here to see your grandmother. Is she around?"

"Yes, she is. Please come in."

"Thank you."

After they sat down, young Ryuzaki served them tea and it wasn't long before Coach Ryuzaki appeared with a pleased smile on her face. "Ah, Inoue-san nice to see you again."

Inoue gave a dry laugh, "You won't be feeling that after you hear what I have to say."

"Oh?"

Inoue had wry smile on his face, "Kunimitsu Tezuka…has a lot on his hands doesn't he?"

The smile on Ryuzaki-sensei faded and changed to one of disdain and her face darkened at Inoue's cryptic statement. The reporter knew he had pushed some buttons.

"I did some searching and found that these past years have been difficult for the young Seigaku captain. His family has been struggling to get food on the table, while he cannot cope with the stress of work, schoolwork, tennis, and taking care of his family. Why did you not tell me this?"

"Because it was none of your business," Ryuzaki crossed her arms defensively.

"Sensei," Inoue replied softly, "I want to hear about what you think about Tezuka-kun."

Ryuzaki's arms remained crossed but her face softened and she sat down, making herself more open. "Tezuka…that boy deserves more than what he was given," she said more to herself than to the reporters who sat across from her. "He's a hard worker and an honor student, but fair. Many look up to him but he gets little rewards in life. He could've beaten his rival, Atobe, if it weren't for his accursed arm that some lunatic injured when he was in junior high. I try to compare Ryoma to him but it is nearly impossible."

"What? How so?"

"Echizen's skills were the result of constant practice with his professional tennis player father. Practicing for most of your life with a pro is bound to get you somewhere. Kunimitsu, however, had no such opportunities, yet he is at the same level as Ryoma if not higher."

"But we found that his father was a tennis player."

Ryuzaki just scoffed, "If you found that much then you must have found that his father left before Tezuka was old enough to develop any hard-blown skills for tennis."

"I see. Did you know the elder Tezuka?"

Ryuzaki shook her head, "Not personally, but I remember Nanjiro's panic when he lost to him twice."

"Twice?"

"Yes, twice," Ryuzaki couldn't help but smile, "Nanjiro was so fired up to face him again in the National Tournament, but to everyone's surprise Tezuka didn't enter. He disappeared."

"Disappeared as in missing disappeared? Or as in just left?" Shiba asked

"I don't think he's dead or kidnapped, if that is what you are asking."

Inoue nudged Shiba, "We know he's not dead."

"I know but it is better to find out what others think what happened right?" Shiba responded defensively. Inoue ran a hand over his face, "I know it may be a stretch, Ryuzaki-sensei, but do you have any idea why Tezuka senior left?"

Ryuzaki shrugged, "Beats me. I have heard some rumors that he was involved with the yakuza…"

"No, I doubt that's it," Inoue shook his head, "His father-in-law's a cop. It would be idiotic."

Shiba sighed, "So would leaving your family without telling anyone."

Ruzaki nodded in agreement, "But, mind you, those were just rumors. Unreliable ones too. When it comes the Kunimitsu's father there is very little I can give you. Only impressions. Judging by what I heard though, he can be both a kind and a fearsome fellow."

"Well thanks for your input," Inoue glanced down at his watch, "But we have one more stop to go before heading home. Thank you again."

Inoue and his partner bowed and Ryuzaki led them out giving them warning, "Whatever you do, you two, don't mention Tezuka's father in his presence. It makes him…"

"We understand, sensei."

**

"Where are we going now?" Shiba asked as Inoue pulled into a street surrounded by a small forest.

"We are seeing the Tezuka family, then going home."

"You put it so simply…" Shiba muttered, envying her partner for not showing any kind of nervousness. Inoue always acted professionally even when given tough circumstances.

"Everything will be fine," Inoue assured trying to calm his own nerves. There was a chance that officer Hadakuru would be there and he would be infuriated to see them again, asking questions about his grandson. Inoue was hoping to get somebody, anybody who was willing to talk to him about Tezuka's struggles; excluding his father and his mother's illness, although both would make one hell of a story.

"I think this is it," Inoue said as he pulled up to a middle-class house nearly hidden among the trees. Since it was dark, some of the lights were on in the house. A good sign that someone's there.

"Alright," Inoue turned the motor off and got out, shutting the door. When Shiba closed her door, he turned his gaze towards her, "Let's make this quick. And no mention of Tora Tezuka."

"I know that!" Shiba retorted defensively. Inoue rang the doorbell, feeling nervous under the sound of the wind blowing in the trees as he waited. The door opened, revealing a woman on the other side. She was very beautiful but obviously sickly. Her skin was a creamy ghost white and she seemed frail as she wrapped her kimono tightly around her small form. She seemed so…delicate.

"Is there something I can help you with?" her soft voice spoke. Inoue cleared his throat, "A-are you Ayane Tezuka?"

The woman seemed confused, "Yes I am. Is there something wrong?"

Shiba, sensing Inoue's hesitance, answered, "Nothing is wrong. We are just reporters. I'm Shiba and this is Mr. Inoue. We would like to ask a few questions about your son, Kunimitsu."

Ayane's eyes went wide, but a small smile appeared on her soft face, "Please, come in, I'll put on some tea."

"Thank you, I hope we aren't becoming a burden…"

Ayane looked back at them, giving them a sad smile, "It's no trouble at all."

Just as they did moments before at Ryuzaki's house, they sat in the living room waiting for tea. Inoue examined the room. It was a pretty traditional house, simplistically decorated. Shiba whispered, "The bookkeeper was right, she did not look well."

Inoue wasn't paying attention. He was staring at a picture resting on a small drawer set. The picture was a portrait photo of a family of three; a small boy, a woman, and presumably a man. The picture frame was cracked and a portion where the man's head would have been was torn off.

Ayane entered and place the tea tray down finding the male reporter staring at the broken picture of her broken family. She gave a sigh, "My son's doing, oddly. That was my favorite portrait with him."

"I-I don't know your son personally, but I can't see him doing something so…violent," Inoue tore his gaze from the picture and took a cup of tea.

Ayane shook her head, "He's normally not that outspoken or expressive."

"Or violent, " Shiba quipped. She shrugged when she received a glare from Inoue. Ayane gave a light giggle, "Yes, or violent."

"Truly, though, he is a good, quiet boy. Exceedingly intelligent as well," Ayane continued. She looked back at the picture, "The man in that picture is his father."

Inoue felt nervous. Although he did not mention the Tezuka father, the subject just came up, "I'm sorry. I did not mean to bring up such memories."

Ayane shook her head, her lips portraying a ghost of a smile, "No. Although Kunimitsu and my father would rather not hear his name, I married Tora and still consider him my husband."

"I understand, but why would your son harbor such hatred towards his father?"

"Kunimitsu is a very protective person and was possibly forced to grow up earlier than the other children. That was my fault, I believe."

"Hmm?" Inoue cocked his head.

"After Tora left, I was under a huge amount of stress. I am not ashamed to say, I cracked under the stress and had to be institutionalized. For two years, Kunimitsu had no mother or father and he always felt that my hospitalization was caused by the emotional distress of his father leaving."

Her hands shook as she took a sip of her tea, "Yet…it could be the fact that I was so dependent on his father. Tora was a strong, supportive man. Easy to fall in love with."

"Was your marriage arranged?"

"No, though my father preferred that I marry someone close to the family, at the time he saw Tora as a good dependable man, and gave consent."

"I bet his opinion changed," Shiba muttered.

"I guess so," the sickly woman trailed off, as if looking back on a memory.

"How did you meet your husband?" Inoue asked in hopes of changing the tone of the conversation. He nearly wanted to strangle Shiba for that last comment. Ayane Tezuka's face brightened softly, "I was a sports therapist during a regional competition. He came in with a sore ankle and asked for me to look at it before his next match. His overall presence stopped my heart. I guess he noticed something in me too because he continued to visit me in between matches and carry on conversations while I worked. We basically dated in the trainers' room."

"How good of a player was he, at the time?"

"One of the greatest," she said without hesitation. "When I first met him I hadn't realized how great of a player he was until I managed to see the finals of the regional tournament. He won hands down and proceeded to win the Nationals that year. We married a few months after. Tora got income as a professional tennis player; mostly from exhibition matches."

"Did he continue player after you had your son?"

"Yes for a while," Ayane nodded. "Tora made sure that Kunimitsu never saw him play tennis."

"Why?" Inoue grew curious. It would make some sense that Tezuka received skills from observing his father. But if he never saw his father play…

"Quite frankly, he didn't think tennis was best for him, I never knew why he discouraged tennis. Yet the discouragement was passive. Instead he tried to get him interested in other things, like basketball and soccer, but mostly academics. Anything but tennis."

Shiba and Inoue looked at each other. Normally a man took pride when his son sought to follow in his footsteps. "When did he retire?"

Ayane shrugged, "He never officially retired. He just left. I will never understand why. I often wondered if it was because of me." She looked ashamed and a little sad. "I am not a healthy woman, as you can see. I wonder if Tora got tired of taking care of me when I was sick."

Inoue did not want to respond. He didn't know how to. He wanted to comfort the woman, but it was not his job to do so. They heard footsteps coming from the stairs in the other room. Kunimitsu Tezuka peered over the railing. "Mother?" He spotted Shiba and Inoue. He didn't look pleased, " Why are you two here?" Tezuka asked as politely as he could yet still sounded bitter.

"Kunimitsu," Ayane Tezuka admonished lightly. "That is no way to treat our guests."

Tezuka stood straight then bowed, "I apologize." Inoue noticed that Tezuka looked odd. His skin was paler than usual and his eyes were sunken, red-rimmed, and watery. He was thinner than Inoue could remember.

"But," Tezuka continued, "I think you'd better leave." He approached the table.

"Kunimitsu, please…" Ayane tried to talk him off, but the look in Tezuka's eyes indicated he was not going to back down. In spite of the boy's weaker state he looked threatening. Inoue knew their time was up.

"It's alright," Inoue stood and bowed. "We'll be going. Thank you."

Inoue and Shiba left the house and made their way to the car. They heard a sharp meow in the night. Inoue turned to find a silver and black cat sitting on a ledge that divided the street from the woods, observing him with keen golden eyes.

"Inoue-senpai, are you going?" Shiba asked from the car.

"Yes, sorry."

A/N: So now we have some back ground info. Writing this chapter was exhausting. I tried to make Tezuka as his mother's support beam, but still cares for her. The chapter title is actually a Tool song. Yes I changed bands. Please Review guys. I love reading them.


	5. Still

Disclaimer: Don't own PoT

Chapter 5: Still

It was the beginning of break period at Seishun High School and the Boys' Tennis Club Vice Captain, Shuichiro Oishi, scoured the library as he usually did. Not to his surprise though, he spotted Tezuka sitting at a study table, quietly flipping through a large group. There was a slight determination in his blood-shot eyes. Curious as to what piqued his captain's interest, Oishi approached his desk.

"Tezuka?" the matriarch of the Sei gaku team tried to get the spectacled young man's attention.

"Hmm?" Tezuka didn't tear his eyes away from the book. Oishi peered over his shoulder. The pages were full of information on cats; the descriptions and data on different cat breeds.

"Cats, Tezuka?"

Tezuka nodded, "There was this cat outside my home the other day. It didn't seem to be a stray."

"So, you are looking up cat breeds?"

Tezuka nodded again, saying nothing. Oishi smiled, "Alright take it easy."

He didn't respond. With a concerned glance back at the team captain, Oishi walked away.

Running a shaky hand through his hair, Tezuka flipped over the next few pages. He stopped at a page with a picture of a slinky cat with silver and black spotted fur. It looked exactly like the cat he found at his house. He read the breed name: Egyptian Mau. Tezuka glanced at the clock realizing the period would end in about five minutes.

He grabbed the book and went over to the photocopier and copied the information on the breed, before heading to World History class.

Maria Lucia was sitting in the nurse's office doing homework. She was a nurse's aide for her study period and the period was slow. Nurse Tanaka was gone for the moment and she hoped that she would return before some freshman came in with a bloody nose. As a nurse's aide, she could only give band-aids for scratches despite being a trainer's assistant, but those were the rule. The more serious cases went directly to nurse Tanaka.

Nurse Tanaka's phone rang at the desk. Maria pressed the intercom button. "Tanaka-san?" a female voice that Maria recognized at the Art and World History teacher, asked from the other line.

"She is not here right how," Maria answered. "She should be back in a few moments."

"Okay, I'm sending a student down who is not looking too well."

"Alright, I'll let Nurse Tanaka know."

"Thank you very much."

The other line clicked as the teacher hung up. Maria went back to her desk to finish homework before the student arrived. She figured the student was just a tired slacker looking for an excuse to lie down. Those students annoyed her and Nurse Tanaka to no end. After about two minutes since the phone call, a student opened the door to the nurse's office. Maria looked up and swallowed. The student was the captain of the boy's tennis club.

"Is Ms. Tanaka here?" Tezuka rasped, "I just need some aspirin and then I'll be on my way."

Maria bit her cheek, eyebrows drawing together in concern. Tezuka did not seem like a lazy, sleepy student. It was obvious that he had gotten worse since the last time she saw him. His skin was sallower, a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, and his eyes were sunken and red-rimmed. No, he did not look well at all.

"Nurse Tanaka," Maria blinked, "is not here. Maybe you should lie down and wait until she returns."

She noticed as he ran a hand over his forehead, that his hands were shaking.

"Please, have a lie down before you collapse," Maria blurted, Tezuka's shakiness making her nervous. She gently led him over to the cots in the back.

"An aspirin should be fine," Tezuka assured as he stiffened under the foreign girl's touch.

"Uh, have you seen yourself? You need more like several milligrams of morphine." Maria sat him down on a cot. "Nurse Tanaka shouldn't be long. I'll be outside if you need anything." She turned away before Tezuka could say anything.

About a minute later, a round, matronly woman entered the office giving Maria a lovely smile. Maria greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Tanaka."

"I'm sorry I was caught up for so long, Lucia-chan. Anything happen while I was gone?"

Maria nodded, "Nagawa-sensei called and sent Kunimitsu Tezuka down. He's not feeling well so I told him to have lie down before you got back."

"Alright, thank you."

Tezuka was lying down, flat on his back when Nurse Tanaka came in, "Well, Tezuka-kun, it seems you haven't been well lately."

"Ms. Tanaka, I believe I'll be fine if I just took some aspirin…"

Nurse Tanaka responded with a hollow laugh, "Have you seen yourself? You look like the living dead. Your teachers have been worried about you."

Tezuka didn't answer her. Nurse Tanaka sighed, "I'll give you the aspirin if you promise to get some rest over the weekend and not to come to school if you really aren't feeling your normal self by next week."

Tezuka sat up, "I'll miss practice today to get rest."

"Alright," Tanaka smiled as he stood struggling slightly. She went over to a cabinet and took out a large aspirin pill. As he took the pill in his hand, he bowed, "Thank you." Ms. Tanaka followed him out of the office. "Take care."

As Tezuka left, Maria asked Nurse Tanaka, "Shouldn't he be in the hospital?"

"You're probably right but Kunimitsu Tezuka can be very stubborn at times."

After school, Tezuka contacted Ryuzaki-sensei to apologize for not being able to be at practice that afternoon. Ryuzaki understood completely and she told the team that Tezuka would not be arriving at practice and went home to rest. The teammates seemed relieved that Tezuka would finally get some well-deserved rest.

Tezuka returned home, much to the shock of his mother and grandfather.

"Kunimitsu? You're home early."

"I wasn't feeling well, so the nurse gave me some aspirin."

"You're missing practice?" Tezuka nodded, "I promised the nurse that I would get some rest." He approached his sickly mother, who sitting on the couch in the living room. He knelt down in front of her, "Mother, I apologize for being a bother, and not taking better care of myself."

"Nonsense," his mother breathed, "You've done nothing wrong."

She leaned up and gave her son a quick motherly peck on the forehead with cool yet soothing lips. His grandfather spoke, "I'll go get some medicine. Do you think you'll be well enough to go to the Invitational tomorrow?"

Tezuka shrugged, "I hope so. I have to go to that study session tomorrow morning first."

"Are you sure? I can call Nagawa-sensei…"

"No, thank you grandfather. I'll be in my room if you need anything," Tezuka made his way up the stairs and his mother and grandfather wished him good health.

Tezuka reached his room and got out of his school uniform. He pulled on pajama bottoms and a white tank top and crawled into bed. He placed his glasses on the nightstand and shut his eyes, waiting for a long uneasy sleep.

A/N: Sorry if this chapter is so short. This seemed like a good place to stop. Tezuka's such a good boy, sorry if the interaction with his mother came off as a little creepy. He's just being a dutiful son. Please Review.


	6. I Don't Believe

Disclaimer: I do not own PoT

Chapter 6: I Don't Believe

The next morning, Tezuka felt something nudge against his head. Groaning, he thought it was his grandfather trying to wake him. Groggy and feeling like he was torn to shreds by the very gargoyles of hell, he reached for his glasses and out them on, blinking a few times to adjust his sight. He focused finding that his grandfather was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a silver and black spotted cat was staring at him. It meowed. Tezuka stared at it in shock. "What? What the-? How the hell did you get in here?"

The mysterious cat chirruped and jumped off his bed and ran out of his bedroom door. Tezuka stumbled out of bed and tore out of his room. He looked down the stairs finding no sign of the cat. Tezuka caught his breath, leaning against the doorframe, breathing harshly. What was going on? That cat…was that cat even real? His thoughts were answered with a faintest of meows. It sounded slightly distressed. He glanced at his bedroom window. It seemed to be coming from outside.

_'Shit'_ Tezuka raced downstairs and out the door to the front lawn. He gazed around at the front lawn trying to find the cat. Normally he wouldn't care, but he couldn't explain his urge to find it. It was almost as if the feline was trying to draw him in…Tezuka shook his head. No, that was ludicrous. He should just go back inside and get ready to go to the study session.

A meow came from a nearby tree. Tezuka looked up, finding the cat's golden eyes staring back down at him through the branches. '_You've got to be kidding me?'_ he thought. He rubbed his hands together and tried to gather his strength, before jumping up and pulling himself onto the nearest branch. He careful climbed closer to the mischievous feline. He reached for the cat beckoning it to come closer. It just meowed as if to say, "What's your next move?"

"Uh, Tezuka?" he heard a familiar voice call from the sidewalk. He looked over finding some of his tennis teammates staring slack-jawed at seeing their captain in such a state.

"Are you alright?" Oishi asked.

Embarrassed, Tezuka nodded. "Yeah, it's just this cat…" he looked over finding that the cat was gone. His teammates had no idea what to say. Momo muttered on the side of his mouth, "Somebody say something…"

Eiji smiled, "Of course, captain, it's a very pretty one too…"

Tezuka shook his head. "It's not here anymore…" he climbed down the tree, looking confused.

"Tezuka, are you sure you are alright?"

"I'm serious, there was a cat there. It first appeared in my room."

"In the house?" Eiji asked, "Hey! Maybe Kaidoh can find it for you."

"Wait! What?" Kaidoh growled. Eiji just snickered.

Suddenly a piercing meow caught their attention. The Egyptian Mau sauntered between the group and Tezuka. Tezuka pointed at it, "That was the cat."

Eiji's eyebrow rose, "You sure do have a nice-looking cat."

"It's not my cat."

"You were trying to save someone else's cat?"

"I don't know, " Tezuka responded softly to himself.

Oishi stared at his friend with concern. "We were just walking by. We wanted to see if you were okay."

"…And the answer is no," Momo whispered to Eiji. Oishi stomped on Momo's foot before turning his attention back to Tezuka, "Are you well enough to go to the Invitational, Tezuka?"

"I think so, I'll take some medicine. I have to go to a study session, so I'll miss the opening ceremony."

"Well alright. Don't strain yourself." Oishi and the others waved good-bye. As they walked away, Tezuka rubbed his weary eyes from under his glasses. '_Great, my teammates think I'm crazy.'_

_***  
_

The Seigaku Girls' and Boys' Tennis Clubs congregated as Seishun High School getting ready to file onto the bus that would take them to Forest Park near downtown Tokyo. They all managed to fit into one bus; the boys seated in the back and the girls in the front. Oishi sat next to Maria after resolving a quarrel between Kaidoh and Momoshiro.

"Sometimes I wonder if those two are seriously in high school. I bet your girls aren't like this, Maria-chan."

Maria gave a chuckle, "No, but sometimes female drama can be quite the headache."

Oishi smirked, but his phone rang. He flipped open his phone and found he had a text. He looked around finding that the rest of the boys were snickering at their own phones. Oishi looked down at the text, realizing that it was from Eiji. He opened the test and a picture of Tezuka in his tank top and pajama pants standing out on his front lawn popped up with a message that read:

_How much do you think girls will pay for these sexy photos?_

Growling Oishi turned around glaring at Eiji. "Where the hell did you get this?"

"Aww, I couldn't resist. It's not everyday, you see Tezuka in nothing but a tank top and pajama pants."

The girls gasped and turned interested. Oishi just yelled, "You are such a nuisance!"

Maria casually took a glance at said picture and swallowed. Even ill, captain Tezuka looked good in such spare clothing. She originally thought that Tezuka would have a scrawny body. She was wrong. He was thin, but lean and muscular, his chest and stomach muscles defined through his tight tank top. In spite of his sickness, he still looked fascinating. She felt heat rise in her cheeks, ignoring Oishi lecturing his doubles partner.

"Just think how many laps Tezuka would make us run!" Oishi shouted and Eiji sank in his seat, defeated, "Kill joy."

Sighing, Oishi sank back down next to Maria, "I apologize…are you okay?" Maria realized that her blush must've shown, but she shook her head. "Nothing to be concerned about," she said as Oishi flipped his cell phone closed.

"Speaking of Tezuka-kun, where is he? Is he not coming?"

"No, he's coming. He had a study session this morning. So he'll arrive later."

"Oh, good. Do you think he'll feel better? He came in the nurses office yesterday looking like death warmed over."

Oishi shrugged, "He said he'd be okay. But when it comes to school and tennis he can be…"

"Stubborn?" she offered. Oishi gave a light chuckle, "Exactly."

A/N: The_ Catwoman_ movie was one of my inspirations for this fic. Don't worry Tezuka won't turn into a catman or something, but the Mau, being a sacred animal in its own right, has a point to this story. The scene where Tezuka's climbing the trees is loosely based off a scene from _Catwoman. _Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. The next chapter should be longer. Thanks to Frog Lady and TezukaFujiEijilover (I hope I got those right) for their undying support. Please Review.


	7. Invitation to an Invitational

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

Chapter 7: Invitation to an Invitational

The bus arrived at Forest Park, all of the regulars carrying their tickets as they got off the bus. When they got to the entrance of the park they received a map of the tennis courts and were directed to the location of the opening ceremony. The ceremony briefly introduced the teams by country name, and went through the introductory songs and demonstrations. After the ceremony, the group congregated around an event roster, deciding which games to watch.

"We should probably watch the games on courts 6 and 7," Inui suggested, "Those are the courts England and France will be playing in the most. The England/France rivalry is one of the fiercest in the world. They played each other in the finals last year but England came away from the trophy."

"Then, let's head over there," Eiji shouted in excitement pulling Fuji along with him.

The team rested on the lawn by court 7 where France would be playing Bolivia. They watched as both teams warmed up. Inui went over the roster of both teams. He pointed to a French player with long wavy blond hair tied in a ponytail, a goatee, and kind blue eyes. "That is the team captain, Philippe le Bon. He lost the final round last year."

Kawamura scanned the French team, finding an odd occurrence, "Ne, Oishi-sempai."

Oishi turned and Kawamura pointed to a player on the French side, "They have a girl on their team."

Sure enough, stretching on the court was a small young woman with long blond hair.

"What? Girls are allowed to play!?" Momoshiro stared in disbelief. Ryuzaki-sensei came up behind them.

"Momo, this is an Invitational. Countries send their best players to these things no matter what gender they are. If she has skill, there is no reason for her not to play."

Momo watched as the girl straightened and headed to talk to the team captain. Her small stature caused the captain, le Bon to tower over her.

"Any team can have whomever they want, as long as they don't put themselves at an unfair advantage above the others," Ryuzaki continued, "Last year, Greece had one female on their team, and Russia had two."

Inui flipped through the program frantically, trying to find France's roster, "Joan D'Arc is her name." He turned the book up to show the rest the picture of her, "She is the premier player to watch for."

Kawamura muttered aloud upon seeing her picture, "She has a soft face, doesn't she?"

"Watch it Kawamura, you're drooling," Eiji joked, and Kawamura blushed.

Finally the match began with doubles. France's first doubles team consisted of a short, chubby, boyish man and a more handsome man with brown neat hair.

"First game doubles. France's Bertrande du Guesclin-Jean De Marz pair vs. Bolivia's Sìmon Aristanza-Diego Salìtre pair," the judge called. "Aristanza to serve."

Aristanza threw the ball in the air, bringing his body and arm back. As the racket made contact with the ball, the match began. De Marz returned the serve and a volley ensued. Suprisingly, in spite of du Guesclin's stature, he was fairly agile and had a powerful stroke as he disarmed Aristanza.

"Love-15," the judge called. The doubles match continued until the du Guesclin-de Marz pair defeated the Bolivia pair three games to five. The next French doubles pair-the La Hire and de Rais pair- was stronger. One man was thin with long black hair; the other was a large muscular man with short auburn hair and thick sideburns. The grunts and yells the man made reminded everyone of Kawamura when he held a racket.

During a break between games, the pair went over to the side bench and started talking to an older man with a white traditional French style mustache and white hair.

"Who is that?" Momoshiro asked pointing to the French man. Fuji flipped back to the French roster, "It must be their coach, Philippe L'Fortune."

"He and the English coach are bitter rivals. They have been that way ever since they played tennis. Both are more concerned about beating the other rather than winning the tournament," Inui pushed his glasses up his nose before jotting something down in his notebook.

Ryuzaki looked to the side, "Speaking of England…" she pointed to a group of players observing the match. The player that stood out the most was extremely tall and wore all black: black shirt, black pants, black shoes and even long straight black hair that reached to his shoulder blades.

"They must be scouting their rival."

"No doubt about it. The man in all black is Edward Plantagenet," Inui informed, staring intently at the handsome English player. "He is the son of their coach, Edward Plantagenet III. The younger Edward beat le Bon last year and has on record the fastest and strongest serve in the world."

Momo whistled in amazement, "How do you know all this stuff, Inui sempai?"

"I did some research over the past few nights. It's always good to get some background info on your data subjects." Inui's glasses gleamed as he smiled.

Fuji smiled at the player, "Ah, he cuts an imposing figure, don't you agree?"

Several regulars nodded in response to the tensai's statement. Plantagenet stood straight and tall, his body lean and well built, his handsome face watching the match with such intensity. Next to him was an equally imposing older gentleman with short grey hair and goatee. He was shorter than Edward, but the stern expression revealed that he was England's coach.

The regulars' attention returned to the match at hand when a booming yell resounded from the bigger French player as laid a smash on the other side nearly knocking a Bolivia player off his feet. "Game set and match. De Rais-La Hire pair." Many in the crowd cheered but it went silent almost immediately in anticipation. "The French girl is up."

"Singles 3. France's D'Arc vs. Bolivia's Santa Marco," the judge called. "Santa Marco to serve."

Santa Marco questioningly glanced over at his teammates then shrugged. He served the ball and D'Arc easily returned it. Santa Marco responded with another return and soon a volley was underway. It was evident that this French girl was no joke. Her returns were strong, solid, and strategically placed.

"Love-15," the judge called as D'Arc scored a point on Santa Marco. The Bolivian player firmly set his feet as he prepared to serve: no more playing games. Yet as the game wore on D'Arc eventually won the first game.

"Game D'Arc. Zero games to one."

***

Over by the fence the young English ace stood staring, keen eyes observing the young girl beating Bolivia's Santa Marco at a surprising game of tennis. His arms were folded, and expression closed. Edward's coach and father spoke at his side, "Watch her carefully. That pretender of France didn't put her there for no reason. It's best not to underestimate her. Because you know when the time comes, you will be placed against her."

"Don't worry, I won't."

"You had better not," came his father's stern voice, biting, as he walked away.

***

"She's fast," Momo said, watching the young woman fly across her side of the court. Her opponent was getting tired but stilled played admirably. Santa Marco made a last ditch dive in an effort to save a ball, unfortunately it was lobed into the air and D'Arc lifted herself in the air, bringing her arm back and performed as powerful smash.

"Game set and match, D'Arc," the judge announced. The crowd cheered. Her breathing slightly labored, she looked back at her teammates. Most of them were beaming at her, proud of her. She gave a sparkling smile back at them, but looked over at the fence behind her, seeing another team watching her.

'England,' she thought to herself, shuddering under the piercing gaze of the imposing long black haired player. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that settled in her stomach, Joan walked back to the bench where Philippe le Bon was waiting beside Coach L'Fortune. "Great work La Pucelle," le Bon smiled, giving her a hug. "Would you cheer me on?"

"Every time sir."

"Don't fail me Le Bon," Coach L'Fortune said lightly stroking the end of his stylized well-groomed mustache.

"I won't," Le Bon said, uneasiness in his voice.

**

"Saa, Oishi," Fuji said softly still looking at a page in the program. Oishi turned. Seeing a frown on Fuji's face.

"What is it Fuji?"

He pointed at something in the program. Oishi sighed and sat down next to him. Fuji's finger was pointing to a name on a roster list.

"Nya, whatchya guys looking at?" Eiji leaned over. The other members of the team leaned over their shoulders, curious as to what caught Fuji's interest.

The name Fuji was pointing at was familiar and Oishi had an unexplainable feeling of dread spread throughout his body. The print read: 'Tezuka'.

"Tezuka?" Momo's voice rose in question.

"Could he be related?"

"Sssshhh…"

Inui adjusted his glasses, "Tezuka's not a too common name in Japan. So there's about a 73 percent chance that this player is somehow related to our captain."

"Inui," Fuji cautioned, moving his finger up to the top of the page making sure that the statistician took this into account.

"Egypt?"

"They have a team?"

Humming in inquiry Inui corrected his initial conclusion. "This changes things. The fact this is Egypt's roster is a confounding variable. Now that lowers the chance of the player being related to the captain to about 34 percent."

"So chances are he's not related," Momo seemed disappointed.

"To make a bold conclusion… yes, he's not related."

"Still, I found it interesting," Fuji said with an uncomfortable amount of seriousness.

"It is a remarkable coincidence," Oishi said, running his eyes along the rest of the names. "They don't give a first name?"

"Just a 'T'."

"I didn't know Egypt was proficient in tennis," Kawamura said glancing at the country name.

"This must be their first time at the Invitational," Inui straightened up looking over at the court. "I haven't seen any record of them in previous tournaments."

Echizen adjusted his cap, "The question is why now?"

**

The rest game began and much to everyone's surprise the French captain came onto the court.

"This is only Singles 2. Why is their captain up now?"

"Well, it could be that the coach wants to finish this match quickly," Oishi responded to the question. It wasn't unheard of for the captain to be placed in other spots besides Singles 1. Tezuka did it several times, but it still was an odd occurrence. They approached the fence to get a better view of the match. The match was a blowout, le Bon led four games to none, and his opponent was worn out. Philippe le Bon showed an enormous amount of strength even against such a weaker opponent.

"Change court!" the judge called, and both players headed to their respective sides for a quick break.

"This is very one-sided," Ryoma yawned next to Momo. "Yeah, talk about overkill."

Then, quite suddenly the extra chatter on their side stopped. The regulars looked around, wondering what happened. The few spectators on their side had their heads turned to the side in curiosity.

"What are they staring at?"

"Saa…" Fuji, who was closest to the end, found what had caught the spectators' attention. Coming their way was a group of oddly dressed players. Most of them were dressed in Middle Eastern garb. Four players in the front stood out completely.

The first who led the group wore a black burnoose and drapery, nearly cloaking his entire body in black. His hood was pulled over his eyes, shadowing his face in darkness. Next to him was a broad-shouldered man of similar height wearing a normal button-up white shirt. A white bandana covered his head; a few wisps of dark hair poking out from underneath at the nape of his neck. His short scruffy beard was nearly as dark as his hair and his unrevealed eyes and all knowing smile reminded everyone of Fuji's semi-eerie face. On the dark man's other side was a shorter man wearing a navy blue burnoose and pants, a red belt wrapped around his waist, and a navy blue Arabic cowl wrapped around his head with a face cloth of the same color covering his nose and mouth. Behind the man with the white bandana was a humongously muscled, darker skinned player, with tattoos on his wild face and muscular arms. His wild hair were long, dark, beaded dreadlocks. He looked like an animal. The player's eyes had a white glaze covering them, indicating that he was blind, and yet he moved just without any sign of being inhibited.

"So this must be Egypt…" Ryuzaki said aloud. Oishi looked back at her, "Are you sure?"

"I can't say that for sure, I'm just making a gut assumption."

The players continued to stare at this odd group of people, as they walked by in silence and Fuji's eyes opened revealing his piercing blue eyes, staring after them, "Amazing. One of those players is blind."

Coach Ryuzaki responded, her voice still soft in amazement, "His other senses are probably severely heightened."

"Their clothes…they're not going to play in those garments, are they?"

Ryuzaki shrugged, "If that it is what they are comfortable with…"

"Odd."

A/N: Sorry for the generic title. I told you I would use historical figures. This mainly comes from my obsession with Bladestorm. If you guys want a more accurate description of the French/English players visit .com/bladestorm/ or .. Just imagine them in tennis clothing. (The coaches are the Kings just for future reference). I do not claim to own these characters since they are from history, nor do I own their description. That belongs to Koei. Now the Egyptian players are mine. I don't think I described the main ones very well, so sorry about that. Which one do you think the 'Tezuka' player is? I also probably did a horrible job describing the actual matches. La Pucelle is "Maiden" in French. Joan of Arc was frequently called that. Sorry guys. The next chapter will start the snowball effect, and Tezuka will arrive at the match on an unfortunate note. Read and Review Please!!


	8. House Carpenter

Chapter 8: House Carpenter

Tezuka got to the entrance of Forest Park, holding a ticket in his hand. As he handed the ticket to the ticket man at the entrance of the tennis courts the man smiled, "Ah, welcome. You belong to Seigaku, right?"

"Yes."

"Hah, I thought I recognized you. The rest of your team is at court 6, I believe. Past the practice courts," the man handed Tezuka a map and pointed to the courts 6 and 7, "There."

"I see, thank you."

Tezuka made his way towards courts 6 and 7 and arrived by the practice courts. It was quiet, no one was around, they all were probably watching the matches. Dread and fear pierced him when he suddenly heard a familiar meow. He stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned his head. That forsaken cat was sitting idly by the fence of the practice court.

'Goddammit, that's it!'

He resolutely approached the cat and bent down to look at it in the eye. The unblinking eyes served only to give him unexplainable frustration. "Alright, kitty…' he said in a low dangerous tone, "What exactly do you want from me?"

He lifted the cat up a little, as if trying to find the answers in those golden-yellow orbs. The cat meowed, and Tezuka heard voices coming from the far end of the practice court. He looked up finding oddly dressed players leisurely practicing and conversing in a language Tezuka couldn't quite understand. He stared, transfixed at the players. Two players stood apart from the others watching the others warm up. One with a white bandana seemed to be conversing with an obscure player wearing a black hood. The dark player's head turned to face directly at Tezuka.

Tezuka's vision blurred like an old film that was taped over. His throat constricted and he grasped at his throat gasping and choking for breath. The figure blurred and Tezuka was now staring at a glass window in a mental hospital. His mother was on the other side in a gloomy stark room. She was seated in a chair her head was hung in despair, hair falling over her face. Tezuka pressed the palms of his hands against the glass. His fingers curled, scratching the glass as his mother's face looked up at him, tears streaking her cheeks, her eyes pleading. The vision flickered and in place of his mother was himself, shadows surrounding the chair.

Tezuka gasped for air as his vision faded. He lightly opened his eyes, his vision still blurry the sun blinding and gleaming, a black silhouette of a hooded figure standing over him. As the black figure turned away a dark voice rang in his head.

_'Such fools.'_

His vision went black.

"Hey! Tezuka! Tezuka!"

A familiar voice pounded through his ears. He felt someone pressing on his back trying to nudge him. Tezuka opened his eyes, unaware if he had been out for seconds or minutes. He turned his had to look up at whoever was trying to rouse him. His vision focused on Maria, who was bent over him, concern etched over her face.

"Tezuka. Are you alright?"

He didn't answer; he lifted himself on his forearms and looked around. The cat was nowhere to be found. He glanced up at the figures in the practice court. The hooded man's back was turned but his comrade with the white bandana stared Tezuka's way with an expression of disappointment and concern.

"Tezuka-kun?"

Maria tried to roll him over. He pushed himself on his back.

"Maria…I'm…fine," he rasped, "How long was I like this?"

"I found you gasping for air. You collapsed before I got to you. That was about a few minutes ago. I almost called for help, but you were breathing."

"It felt longer," he mumbled to himself, trying to shake the memory from his head. For so long he refused to bring back the memory of when he visited his mother at the mental institution when he was seven. He had forgotten that memory… until now. But what was with the vision…of him?

"Will you be alright?" Maria asked, helping him up.

"I hope so," he said dusting himself off, "It's probably the heat…"

Maria opened her mouth, wanting to point out that it was 87 degrees Fahrenheit and breezy. She didn't say anything watching him walk away.

Tezuka's teammates were glad to see him, even if he was worse for wear. They sat to watch Spain play Greece. It was a long game and intense. A tiebreaker had to be played in order to determine that Spain was the winner. Tezuka couldn't concentrate on the game; his mind wandered. Was he losing it? No, it had to be the sickness. He hoped his immune system would kick back in soon and rid him of this ailment.

"Tezuka," Fuji's soothing voice spoke beside him, "Are you still here? You seem to be distant."

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you wanted to look at the program."

"Sorry, no thank you Fuji…" he paused. Fuji patted him on the back.

The matches for the day were over and the two teams boarded their bus. Once everyone was filed onto the bus, Ryuzaki sensei called for their attention. "Everyone!" The bus went silent. "The tournament director contacted me today. He said that there will be a formal ball in two weeks that the teams will attend. He said that you all are invited to attend."

"Whoa! A ball?"

"We should not turn down his invitation. He was kind enough to include us in this tournament…" Ryuzaki said.

"Well, we can't wait," Fuji smiled, "I'll need to get my suit dry-cleaned."

**

"How was the tournament Kunimitsu?" Tezuka's grandfather asked.

"It was fine. I came in time to see Spain defeat Greece and Yugoslavia defeat Zimbabwe."

"Ah, and were you feeling alright today?"

"Fine enough to finish the session," he answered getting a water bottle from the fridge and sitting across his grandfather at the coffee table. His grandfather was reading a French newspaper. He always wanted to learn French but could never afford lessons. It was cheaper to subscribe to French newsprint, so he learned that way.

"Is mother okay?" Tezuka asked. His grandfather sighed, "She's in bed, which is where you should be. You look like crap, boy."

If Hadakuru wanted a response he didn't receive one. His grandson reached into his bag and took out the book he was reading for literature class. His sensei gave him a few Medieval European literature options and he chose _The Inferno_ by Dante Alighieri, namely because that was the only book Ringo Bookstore had left that was on the list.

"_The Inferno?_" his grandfather raised an eyebrow and stroked his short white beard. "Well, today an officer gave me tickets to see the Invitational games next week. He's going away for that weekend so he's not going to be able to watch them. He thought I needed to get out more and gave me the tickets."

"That was kind of him," Tezuka said monotonously not tearing his eyes away from the book.

"I have been debating if I should bring your mother…"

Tezuka looked up. _Was he asking me permission?_ "Do you think she's well enough?"

"That was what I was going to ask you," his grandfather stared at him cautiously, "I think it should do her some good if she got some fresh air."

Tezuka sighed and closed his book, thinking of a response. "I agree," he said hesitantly.

"You do?" his grandfather sounded just as hesitant.

"I…" Tezuka began, "I believe she would be happy to go outside for a while."

His grandfather smiled, strangely, and turned back to his newspaper, muttering from behind, "I have a night class to teach in a few hours, will you be okay to help your dear mother if she needs it?"

"Of course."

Later that night, Tezuka turned on the shower striped himself. He stepped into the shower, letting the hot water pour over his aching body. He closed his eyes and tilted his head down to let the water run through the back of his hair. He opened his eyes, looking down and blinked. Red suddenly mixed in with the water, like a dye. He assumed it was blood but he had no idea from where. He looked all over his body looking for any cuts or sores. He glanced over at his left arm. Cuts littered his forearm. Where did they come from? They weren't there before. He ran a hand over his arm, then as the water hit the cuts, they grew longer and deeper, blood seeping from the wounds. To his utter shock, bits of his skin started to peel like old wallpaper. Soon chunks of flesh were torn off, plopping into the bloody waters below. His muscular flesh peeling off until there was nothing left his left arm except for tendon and bone…

He shut his eyes tight and forced them open. He looked down at his left arm. It was as it usually was; no cuts or blemishes on his skin. His chest heaved in panic, wondering what happened. It was just a figment of his imagination.

He stepped out of the shower and put on his pajama pants and tank top before heading downstairs to retrieve _The Inferno_. He figured he would start reading a few cantos in bed. He headed back upstairs and passed his bedroom and knocked on his mother's door lightly before opening it. His mother was sitting with her back against the headboard, reading a book herself. She wore a cream colored silk nightgown that flowed about her, giving a melancholic look about her fair, ghostly presence.

"I'm going to bed," he answered. "Do you need anything, before I turn in?"

"No, Kunimitsu," she shook her head. "Will_ you_ be fine?"

"I believe so."

Her son was obviously shaken about something. "Did something…happen today? You look like you've seen a ghost," Ayane stated. His left arm went stiff and his chest rose and fell as his breathing quickened slightly. He knew his distress was too obvious to hide. Swallowing, he entered his mother's room. She beckoned him to come to her, "Why don't you tell me what's wrong? Is it your arm?"

Tezuka sat next to her on the bed and he glanced down at his arm. He flexed his wrist and fingers, "No, my arm's fine. I just-I had a bad memory recur. Nothing to be worried about."

His mother did not like his response, "Kunimitsu, if something is bothering you, or if you are in any sort of trouble, you know you can come and talk to me."

No, he couldn't. If he broke down now, who will take care of her? He couldn't have her worry about him, in her diminishing health. He sighed, "No, you need to just concentrate on recovering."

He hated to see his mother's face fall. To try to make amends, he bent over her and gathered her into what seemed to be a light hug, "I'll be fine, I promise."

He bid her goodnight as she lightly kissed him on the forehead. He stayed up in bed reading a few cantos of _The Inferno_ trying to get a head start on his reading. When he felt his body start to tire, he removed his glasses and turned off the light, shutting his eyes to let sleep take him.

He found himself wandering through a dark forest. It was quiet and dense, a great feeling of uneasiness settling upon his chest. He didn't know where he was going, but apparently he was trudging through the wood with purpose. He came upon a clearing and stopped. Tezuka heard a low bestial growl from the darkness ahead. Ten two more animalistic noises flanked it. Three beasts jumped into the clearing. To his left a leopard, seething and ears back. A wolf to his right, her teats low and heavy with milk. In front of him a large lion giving a low growl that thundered through his ears, its flaring auburn mane streaked with black.

Tezuka stepped back and in an instant he fled when the lion made a hasty move towards him. He sprinted back to where he came from, a malicious she-wolf, a menacing leopard, and a savage lion hot on his tail. They were teasing him, it was obvious they weren't running at their full speed, or they would have caught them already. Ahead, he saw a large boulder nestled in between the trees, a hooded figure sitting casually on top of it. He came to the boulder and stopped, looking behind him. The beasts were nowhere. Catching his breath, he gazed upon the ominous figure. He looked exactly like the player he saw at the practice court.

"Who are you?" Tezuka breathed. The figure gave him a dark chuckle, '_If you are looking for a guide through this hell, I am not the one._'

Tezuka turned and he heard the beasts coming closer. The figure hopped down and slowly walked towards Tezuka. Tezuka didn't move as the man stared down at him. In an instant, the figure backhanded Tezuka with such force that he was sprawled onto the forest floor. Tezuka tried to sit back up, but the hooded man slammed his foot on his chest, holding him back down, '_I think some of these creatures are hungry._'

Tezuka lifted his head to see the three beasts running towards him. As they got closer, the lion lept from a far distance onto him, its teeth ripping his throat away.

Tezuka awoke with a start, his body drenched in sweat, his breathing heavy. His hand flew to his throat as the images from the dream flooded his brain. He could still feel the stinging, constricting burn from where his throat was torn. He breathed in, relieved to feel the rush of air reach and flow through his larynx. He reached over his nightstand to put on his glasses. He glanced at the clock. It was only 3:15 a.m. Once Tezuka's heart slowed its breathing and he had calmed down, he laid back down on his bed in an attempt to go back to bed. But he couldn't go back to sleep.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I've been busy. A few notes, Cantos are chapters in _The Inferno._ And I used the scene with the she-wolf, lion, and leopard from the _The Inferno._ And no, I was not inspired by the _Poltergeist _movie with the flesh scene. The title comes from a Hurt song. Please Review.


	9. English Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own POT

Chapter 9: English Fire

The Seigaku teams returned to Forest Park to watch the next day's matches. Tezuka looked worse than yesterday, but mostly for lack of sleep. He could barely stay awake while watching Russia beat Canada.

Fuji shook his tired form, "Tezuka! Hey Tezuka!" Tezuka blinked. "Hnn?"

"You might want to watch the next match."

"Why?"

"It's England v. Portugal. England won the tournament last year."

"So they're good…"

Fuji nodded, "That's kind of what I was getting at. Were you sleeping with your eyes open?"

Tezuka adjusted his glasses, "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"When have you ever gotten much sleep?" Fuji remarked. The teams entered the court and the first doubles pairs were announced. Portugal's Ramirez and Hernando-Vega pair was going against England's two Johns. John Fastolf and John Talbot. John Talbot was a thick muscular man with a calm expression similar to Munehiro Kabaji's of Hyotei, yet he seemed to be more intelligent and independent. John Fastolf was a smaller, wily man with a smirk on his face and long blond tied in a ponytail.

"Hmm," Inui observed the English pair, recognizing them. "They are the better English pair. Why are they positioned first?"

Talbot was to serve, and he hit a straight shooter across the net that Ramirez could barely get a grip on. As a result, it was lobed into the air and Talbot was given the opportunity for a smash.

"15-Love," the judge called.

Talbot served again but this time Hernando-Vega easily returned it to an open gap in between Talbot and Fastolf.

"15-All"

The two Johns met up with each other. "Let's not get carried away. We should end this now, " Talbot told his partner. Fastolf just arched an eyebrow, "Why not take the better part of valor. There's no fun in making haste."

Talbot and Fastolf got to their positions and served. Hernando-Vega shot a powerful shot across the court and Talbot barely managed to send it back across the court, the ball however went out.

"Out! 15-30."

Eventually, the two Johns lost the first game, and were down 0-30 in the second.

"Eh? Inui-sempai?" Kaidoh turned to his senior. "Isn't this pair the better of the English pair?"

Inui nodded, "They're supposed to be…"

Fuji discretely turned to his friend, "What do you think Tezuka? Do you see what I see?"

Tezuka nodded and after a pause he said shortly, "They're playing them."

"O-40," said the judge as Hernando-Vega scored another point.

"What?" Inui turned to Fuji and Tezuka.

"Saa, I know that look on Fastolf's face. He's not taking this seriously," Fuji remarked, gazing at Fastolf's smug smile.

The two English doubles players met once again. "Well, shall we take the better part of valor?" Fastolf said in a high aristocratic tone. Talbot nodded, "Indeed, let's show them what the Johns of England are truly made of."

The Portuguese and English doubles went into a volley. After Talbot hit the ball to Hernando-Vega, he created an opening, purposely, so he and his partner could switch sides on the court. Hernando-Vega saw the opening clearly and hit the ball in the direction aiming for the far corner, knowing that neither English player would make it in time…or so he thought.

"15-40," the judge announced.

"Whoa!" Momo shrieked in shock as John Fastolf came out of nowhere to score a point, "What the hell was that?"

"He…he…" Inui tried to form words. In truth he was not sure what happened. Fastolf was at one edge of the court in an attempt to switch sides with his partner, the next moment he was at the other edge's corner, safely returning the ball to score a point. Even Fuji tried to explain to himself what he saw.

Portugal got ready to serve, and then Fastolf started moving his feet in place before the serve, like he was doing some sort of dance.

"He's dancing?" Kaidoh muttered.

"It's a jig," Tezuka remarked. "The steps…of an Irish jig."

Fuji nodded, "In Irish dancing, the dancer moves his or her feet quickly while keeping his body perfectly straight and erect."

Inui put two and two together, "So, in all reality, this move combines the effects of the Split-step with the Shukuchi method that Higa schools were famous for."

Ryoma couldn't help but smile. This Fastolf's mixture of his culture in tennis with these Irish steps was truly ingenious. For Portugal, it was all downhill from there. They lost the lead. The knowledge that Fastolf could move anywhere in a split second distracted them and they did not realize that his movements were in sync with Talbot's. Talbot's power eventually got the best of them.

"Game! England. One game to zero."

Oishi and Eiji beamed at each other truly inspired by the two Johns. It was little wonder why they were considered to be the best double's pair in the world. Laughing, Fuji turned to Inui, "They almost made you doubt yourself there, Inui."

Inui responded with a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head, "Yeah…well…"

The next doubles team proceeded to play, but nothing of particular note occurred, only that Portugal and England were neck and neck at one point until, ultimately, England pulled away with the win. Singles were up and England's Richard Beauchamp, a kind-faced man with dark brown hair and small goatee on his chin, facing against Portugal's Juan Valdez.

**

Maria pushed a button at the vending machine and heard her orange soda tumble out. She hadn't realized how much it was shaken nor did she realize how close a few Austrian players were when she opened it. Orange soda sprayed everywhere and onto one of the Austrian players' shorts. Swiftly, she apologized her heart out, but the players' face went beat red. His two teammates shouldered their rackets, expecting an outburst.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the Austrian yelled.

"Look, I said I'm sorry," Maria was starting to loose her sincerity, yet she knew he had some right to be angry, but he didn't even acknowledge her apology. The Austrian's red face grew purple and he furiously knocked the rest of her soda out of her hand. Maria backed away. She couldn't take on three angry men at once.

"Fuck your apology!" he screamed and grabbed her by her shirt.

"Hey! Let her go!"

The angry Austrians turned, seeing a young blond woman approach them, appalled.

"Hey, that's that French player," one of Austria's players whispered to the other.

"This is none of your business," the player growled. Joan D'Arc pulled Maria away and put herself in between the Austrians and Maria, "Just leave her alone!"

The Austrian players were momentarily stunned, but the man who Maria spilt soda on lunged forward and grabbed Joan by the wrist wrenching her towards him, "You shut it, little French girl."

Joan's face was full of disgust towards these cowardly men, "Pig! You would find pleasure in torturing young girls?" She spat at his feet in disdain.

"You bitch!" he slapped D'Arc, hard, but still the tough French player stood her ground. Maria made a move to help Joan, but the Austrian wrenched her further away.

"I'll show you torture…" the man began but suddenly, Maria and Joan heard a loud THWACK! The man was sent sprawling on the ground, unconscious and on top of Joan. A tennis ball rolled over to the side. Maria looked forward and standing a distance behind the group of Austrian players was a longhaired, tall, handsome man in all black. He held his blood-red racket on his shoulder.

The two other Austrians turned to find who assaulted their teammate with a tennis ball. "What the hell?!"

The man answered in deadly low voice, "Do you three have no honor? You are a disgrace to your team and country."

"Pompous ass!" One player charged at him brandishing his racket. The dark man stepped quickly to the side and caught the player's arm. The Austrian dropped his racket as the towering man placed dangerous pressure on his elbow.

"Do you want to be able to play tennis again?" the man hissed as he applied more pressure, coming dangerously close to snapping the Austrian's elbow. Panicked, the Austrian choked in pain, "Alright! We'll go! We'll leave!"

Satisfied, the black-haired man let go of him and he and his teammate scrambled away. The towering player turned towards the two girls. Marie helped Joan roll the unconscious player off of her, but a shadow loomed over the two girls. They both looked up at the black figure eclipsing the light, not knowing whether to fear him or not. He bent over holding out a hand to the young female player, "Forgive them, they are still sore for losing against the United States. Are you alright?"

The man's voice was different from the low menacing voice he had earlier. It was soft, belying some sort of stoic sincerity. Joan was speechless for a moment as she took his hand. After he helped her to her feet, she thanked him gently, "Thank you, sir."

The man turned to Maria, "Are you fine as well?" Maria nodded, though truthfully she was still shaken. She directed her gratitude towards the French girl, "But thank you, Miss, for helping me." Joan smiled back, "Not a problem." The tall player's deep voice called, "Shall I walk you back, mademoiselle or will you both be fine on your own. Those players may come back for their teammate."

_Such chivalry_, Maria mused as the man bent down in a slight bow, still holding D'Arc's hand. Both girls were taken with this young man, and the proper way he presented himself that was rarely seen in modern Western society.

"You are…" Joan whispered, "You are the English captain, aren't you."

"Precisely," the Englishman nodded, "Edward Plantagenet. And you are Joan D'Arc, the female phenom from France."

"Yes, I am."

Plantagenet smiled, "Hopefully, we shall next meet on the court."

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure."

**

The Singles 2 match was up at this moment, with England's short and fiery Henry Percy. He was a sturdy young man with long, feathered-back, brown hair and he was facing the dashing Luiz Volquez. To no surprise, Henry Percy was winning at this point. Tezuka's usually hardened gaze was broken when Maria crossed in front of him and couldn't help as subconsciously his gaze followed after her. Fuji noticed his friend being sidetracked and smiled, draping an arm around Tezuka, relishing in making him uncomfortable.

"Tezuka-san, don't deny that this game is causing your libido to stir," Fuji whispered huskily in Tezuka's ear. Tezuka removed Fuji's arm from his shoulders.

"We've been through this Fuji. It wasn't going to work out. We had just passed puberty and my hormones went haywire. I was confused…" Tezuka trailed off as Fuji held up a hand.

"I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about that lovely young lady over there. You know, the one you were ogling at a moment ago." Fuji pointed to Maria Lucia, who was laughing with her friend Oishi. Tezuka grunted in disdain, "We are not involved, if that's what you were implying."

Fuji shrugged, "I wasn't implying, I was just suggesting. There is a difference."

Tezuka removed his glasses to rub his eyes vigorously, mumbling, "I am too tired to deal with this…"

Fuji relented knowing that his dear friend was not feeling his best. Fuji may be sadistic but he wasn't cruel. They both turned their attention back to the court in time to see one of Henry Percy's special shots.

Volquez returned a volley with a powerful shot that would numb an average player's hand. Percy used two hands to reduce the strain, and shot it back. The ball sped on the ground.

"What?!" Oishi yelled in shock, "Tsubame Gaeshi?"

"A pro player should be able to easily seal it," Fuji stated, but what they thought was the Tsubame Gaeshi move, sped around in a circle before rolling to the right across the court then out.

"Game set and match! England!"

Henry Percy and Luiz Volquez shook hands over the net, the Portuguese's heads hung in defeat but they looked reassured knowing that they played their best. As Tezuka observed the two teams shaking hands his vision became fuzzy and blurred. The players turned into monotonous, unidentifiable figures writhing on the court, only that the court was a pool of hot tar. Day instantly turned to darkness, and the mannequin-like bodies stretched and strained slowly against the heavy tar. He looked down finding the steaming hot tar crawling, bubbling on his skin, creeping up his torso, arms, and finally reaching his neck and jaw.

"Tezuka!"

He jerked to reality, Fuji's hand on his shoulder, eyes open in concern. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I-I…what?" Tezuka felt sick to his stomach. Fuji took his arm, "C'mon, let's get you something to drink."

A/N: ***Runs from angry Tezuka-Fuji pairing fans*** I found that the Tezuka/Fuji pairing to be cliché, and I can't see Tezuka in any relationship with Fuji other than friendly. Sorry all. Talbot and Fastolf and Percy are actually historically based but their descriptions were taken from the Bladestorm game. The valor quotations are actually taken from the game as it kinda shows Fastolf's personality. The title is a song by Cradle of Filth. The song doesn't really have anything to do with this chapter, I just thought it was a relevant title. Again, for those who like this story, Review!!!Please!!!


	10. Nights Without End

Disclaimer: Do Not Own POT

Chapter 10: Nights Without End

Over the next week, Tezuka kept having visions and nightmares. His illness wasn't getting worse, but it wasn't getting better either. Still he stuck it out in spite of everyone's attempts to bear some of his burdens. No, these were his own problems. He couldn't very well tell everyone that a hooded man was plaguing his dreams and visions, many would read into it that as an omen of death.

Yet, perhaps it was.

Several times after the England game incident, when his random horrifying visions would appear, the beginning scrolled down like an old film showing, very briefly, a dark stone cavern with a little light pouring down from an opening of the ceiling onto a statue in the very center. He never got a chance to take a good look at what it was, before some horrifying vision of him being flayed alive would pop up.

The dreams were what got to him. They were all violent and disgusting, and somehow he had trouble waking from them. And they always felt real. On one particular dream he was being crucified onto a stone altar, in some sort of ritual. He awoke still feeling the burning agonizing pain in his palms and feet and he swore he had faint red welts where the nails were put through.

The week finally ended and Tezuka took his nightly jog around the block a few times. Practice always ended a little early before weekends so he always felt a nice jog made up for lost workouts. It also served to clear his mind. As he rounded a corner of the block he began to feel uneasy, like someone was watching. Not long after, he had heard something like faint whispering. He paused from his run to catch his breath, hands on his knees. The hissing, whispering grew more frantic and he looked all around him as the voices seemed to coming from everywhere. He was alone, no one was there and yet the unidentifiable hissing still rang. Finally the whispering stopped with meow that seemed to be coming from the nightly heavens. Tezuka stared up at the night sky briefly, before glancing at his surroundings, fully expecting to see that damnable Mau around. To his surprise it wasn't anywhere he could see. He hesitantly resumed his run.

Returning from his run, he found that his house was dark. His grandfather had left for night classes already and Tezuka assumed his mother was in bed. He hung up his jacket, started to go upstairs to change but he caught something lying on the living room sofa. His mother was curled on her side, fast asleep, the book she was reading slipping carelessly through her fingers. Gently, he pried the book from her hand and placed it on the coffee table. Bending down in front of the couch, he quietly tucked his arms under her shoulders and knees and lifted her. He proceeded to carry his mother upstairs, anxiety in his chest at feeling how frightening little his mother weighed. Tezuka carried her to her bedroom and gently laid her on her large bed. She let out a soft sigh as Tezuka pulled the covers over her body. With a weary heart, he left he room and quietly closed the door.

He removed his clothing and put on a hot bath instead of a shower. He relaxed in the tub hoping to relieve some of the stress he was feeling while contemplating whether or not it was a good idea to let his mother go to the invitational tomorrow. He wanted her to get well, but he also wanted her to be happy. Sighing he rubbed his temples. Sometimes it was best to let things go as they are and see what happens.

He got himself into his sleepwear and washed his face and put on his glasses. He slowly looked up at his reflection in the mirror. A hooded figure popped up suddenly, about to stab Tezuka in the back. He immediately whirled around in shock. All that was there was the bathroom wall. He leaned back clenching the sink, swallowing hard. He warily crawled into bed and pulled up the covers, willing himself to sleep.

He awoke, looking up at a smoggy orange sky. Tezuka felt himself rocking and he sat himself up realizing he was in a wooden boat at sea, at the bow sat the devil that infested his dreams, the dark cloaked man staring down at him. To his side was a man with a white bandanna tied over the top of his head and dark scruff of a beard. He sat with and elbow resting on his knee, chin resting on his open palm, contemplating.

The hooded figure stood up, not taking his eyes off Tezuka. '_Heru_,' he called. The in the white bandana looked up, '_Hmm?'_

'_Take us further out,'_ the hooded man bent down and roughly grasped a handful of Tezuka's locks, pulling his head back forcing the boy to look into the golden eyes that peaked through the shadow cast over the man's face. _'Let's see if all his hopes and dreams will fall.'_

Heru obeyed, taking a long oar and stroking through the black waters. As they got out further, a strange noise could be heard echoing throughout the endless sea. It was initially faint and unidentifiable, but then it could clearly be heard. The noise was a mass collection of wails and cries coming from the depths of the water. Hands shot out and grasped Tezuka, pulling on him, several wretches jumped out of the water to grasp at him gnawing at his flesh. He tried to pry them off but their weight was too heavy and they pulled him into the water, where he drowned being chewed alive by damned souls…

He sat up straight in bed, violently waking form his nightmare. Stumbling out of bed, he ran a hand over his face before reaching for his glasses. Frustrated, he wearily walked downstairs, not bothering with any lights and headed into the kitchen, opening his grandfather's liquor cabinet. Normally when he awoke from his nightmares he took a drink or two of cold water before going back to bed, but recently water wasn't calming his nerves.

It wasn't as if he hadn't had alcohol before, but it was only recently when strong alcoholic drinks became his more common late-night snack. Truthfully, he had no idea if his grandfather or mother knew about his drinking habits. If they had, neither of them approached him about it, and most likely, if they found out, they trusted him to take responsibility for his mistake. He downed the glass and poured himself another. Everyone would be disappointed in him; he was disappointed in himself for doing something so stupid as to solve his problems in the bottom of a bottle, let alone at an illegal age. If he weren't careful, he would be on the destructive path of alcoholism, all before he even graduated.

Ayane Tezuka awoke in her bed, slightly disoriented. She recalled falling asleep on the couch downstairs, so she assumed that either her father or her son carried her upstairs to bed. Whoever it was, she was truly grateful for their generosity.

She gazed outside her window, the beautiful morning sun shining through the curtains. Ayane smiled; it was a perfect day for her to finally get out to see the world, and end her isolation. She put on some casual clothes, clothes she hadn't worn in a while. Ayane went downstairs and spotted her son's tall, sleeping form sprawled on his stomach over the couch, his arm was carelessly draped over the side, his hair a mess, and glasses askew.

She bent over to brush her son's hair away from his eyes, "Kunimitsu."

He groaned and squeezed his closed eyelids tighter. She placed a hand on his muscular shoulder and gently shook him, "Kunimitsu, wake up, honey."

Tezuka willed his eyes open, wondering who was shaking him. He turned his head, gazing with sleepy eyes, at his mother, stunned to see her in anything but a kimono or nightgown.

"You'd better get going, if you want to go with your friends."

"Aa," came his short reply as he sat up.

"Good morning," his grandfather called as he came downstairs. "Ayane, you're up rather early."

"I guess I wanted to enjoy such a wonderful morning."

"It's good to see you so cheerful. Kunimitsu, what are you doing sleeping down here?" Tezuka's grandfather started pouring coffee ground into the instant coffee maker.

"I just fell asleep," Tezuka said in a groggy voice.

"Well go get dressed, we'll get you breakfast."

Tezuka obeyed his grandfather and cleaned up, got dressed, and ate a little breakfast before heading out the door, "Goodbye."

"We'll see you at the tournament."

***

Ryoma sat down at the kitchen table and ate his Japanese style breakfast that his mother cooked. He sat across from his father, whose face hidden behind the newspaper he was reading. Curiously, the front headline read 'Injuries Abundant in Invitational'. Ryoma paused for a moment as reading the headline wondering what the details were.

"Ryoma," his father called from behind his paper. Ryoma blinked.

"What do you think about the tournament so far?" Nanjiro asked.

"It's interesting, I guess," Ryoma muttered.

"What about the teams?"

"The ones we saw were impressive."

Nanjiro lowered his paper, "I heard that there was a team that came from Egypt…Is that true?"

"Yeah."

Nanjiro folded his paper and laid it on the table with a sigh. "Ryoma, I want you to listen, and do your old man a favor."

His son gave him a blank stare.

"Whatever you do, promise me you don't get involved with that Egyptian team. Don't ask why."

Ryoma just stood and muttered, "Sure." He opened the door to head out. His father stood abruptly and called sharply, "Ryoma!"

Ryoma spun around at hearing his name in such a sharp tone.

"Ryoma, I'm serious. Stay away from them. It just doesn't feel right to me."

He noticed the rare seriousness in his father's face, and it unnerved him. Silently he backed out the door to meet with Momoshiro.

Sighing, Nanjiro sank back down in seat laying his head on the table. His wife, who heard the outburst from the kitchen came into the dining area, "What was that about?"

Not lifting his head from the table, Nanjiro grumbled, "Nah, I'm probably getting worked up over nothing." There was silence and the retired tennis pro tilted his head up straight, chin resting on the table as he gazed down at the headline of the newspaper.

"Nothing my ass!" he was his growled amendment as he sprinted to the nearest telephone.

***

The Seishun High School team watched a few of the matches of the morning, all a little disappointed when they discovered that England and France were in the same bracket, so if they faced each other, it wouldn't be in the finals. They would face in the semi-finals at best, if they both came out undefeated. Oh well, they thought, it added variety.

At this point, they didn't much care; they were watching Rafael Nadal of Spain play Mark Philippoussis of Australia. This matchup was long and drawn out, and judging by the bracket it would determine who would play Roger Federer and the Swiss team. Nadal, who had a stronger rivalry with Federer, was getting desperate to the finish the match. In the end, Nadal got what he was so desperate for. He won, and the Seigaku team headed to the food court for some lunch.

Tezuka left the food court earlier than the rest of his team, he finished his lunch before the rest of them, namely because he didn't eat that much. He walked along the sidewalk near the empty practice courts, not noticing a player quietly sitting on a bench under the shade of a large tree.

"You seem distracted."

Tezuka turned finding the same ferryman from his dream sitting, his expression very much like Fuji's, the corners of his mouth upturned in a smile. Tezuka's eyes narrowed. This couldn't be the same man could it?

"Sometimes you'll run into trouble if you are too lost in thought," the man stood up and pointed to his foot, "You stepped on my foot."

Tezuka looked down at the black loafer, not realizing that he unwittingly stepped on it. Was he really that out of mind?

"I apologize, I guess I was too distracted."

The man waved it away with a smile, "No mind. You really just grazed it. No harm done."

There was a short pause at the man rubbed his scruffy chin, "But tell me, do you play tennis yourself?"

"Yes."

"Ah, that is a treat then. Observing players who have reached beyond their potential is probably the best way to evolve yourself."

Tezuka's eyebrows lowered. He didn't quite understand what this man was talking about.

"But," the man began, his mouth curving downward into a frown. "I think that…"

"Heru," Tezuka's blood turned ice cold as a frighteningly low voice called. The player in the black hood and burnoose came up beside them. A chirrup could be heard and, to Tezuka's horror, the Mau appeared from between the black clad player's ankles. Good God, this couldn't be real. Panic overtook him.

"What's this about, Heru?"

Heru? Tezuka whirled his head back to the man with the white bandanna. This _was_ the Heru of his dream. But how is that possible? Heru shrank back and away from the obscure man, "I was just mentioning the evolution of skill, sir."

"Evolution, eh?" The dark figure turned to Tezuka, and Tezuka just glared at him holding his ground at the hooded man rounded on him.

"There very few that can comprehend the concept of the true evolution, let alone achieve it," his hand shot out and gripped Tezuka's upper left arm. "Do you think you can?"

Fear gripped him at the strange motion. It was sudden and unexpected, as if the man knew the history of his left arm...

Tezuka's eyes went wide for a moment. He couldn't have known, could he? The man's grip on his bicep was solid and tight.

"I don't think he understands, captain," Heru said observed, "It _is_ a difficult concept to explain…"

"Tezuka!"

The Seigaku captain looked over, finding his teammates running up to him on the path but they stopped in their tracks upon spotting the two Egyptian players, surrounding their captain.

"Tezuka?" Oishi called softly noticing Tezuka's distressed look and the black cloak figure gripping his left arm tightly. The hooded man looked back at the team.

Ryoma, his father's words of warning floating in his head, stared unemotionally at the Egyptian players, mainly the player who held his captain's arm. Then quite suddenly his stoic expression changed into shock and fear. Unexplainable, unnamed, and unknown terror spread throughout his body, causing him to step back and away.

"Echizen?" Momo called to the side quietly, noticing his teammate's expression and movement. Fuji held the same feeling as their youngest player, an unexplainable fear gripped his soul like a vice. The rest began to feel twinges of terror as it waved over them.

Dark was the voice of the mysterious man as he turned back to the tall young man he was holding, "Hmmm…_such fools_."

Stunned, confused, and enraged, Tezuka violently tore his arm from the man's grasp.

"What do you want?" Tezuka seethed in a low voice, near inaudible. The man said not a word and turned to walk away as if nothing happened.

Heru hesitated and made to follow his teammate, and the cat, Tezuka however caught his wrist.

"Tezuka, let him go," Ryuzaki ordered from behind the rest of his teammates. Tezuka didn't listen and held his piercing eyes at the Egyptian player.

"Tezuka, what are you doing?"

"Tell me, what's going on?" he breathed to the player. Heru responded, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Heru, let's go," the cloaked man ordered brusquely. Heru gave Tezuka a near-sympathetic look, and made to go with his captain, but the grip around his wrist would not relent. Everyone on the Seigaku team was stunned to silence, afraid to make a move. Coach Ryuzaki saw the burning intensity in the young man's eyes ignite like never before…and it scared her.

The silence was broken by a man's cry, "Ayane!"

Tezuka's head turned and he spotted his grandfather kneeling on the ground, desperately trying to rouse the collapsed form of his mother.

"Mother?"

His world narrowed in on his family, surroundings and Heru forgotten, as he sprinted without thought towards his fallen mother.

"Tezuka?" his teammates followed after him, not realizing at first that the unconcious woman was their captain's mother.

He finally reached Ayane, bending down, over her, "Oh, God no. Mother!"

"Someone call an ambulance!" Oishi shouted.

"What happened?"

Hadakuru answered in panicked tone, "I'm not sure, she just collapsed."

Tezuka gripped his mother's shoulders calling for her. Her moved, softly murmuring the last name he wanted to hear, "Tora?"

Tezuka's face iced over briefly at hearing that bastard's name. "No, it's me. Kunimitsu," he answered softly. She breathed out, whispering, "Kunimitsu…" She then went silent and still and he didn't look up when a woman rushed to them saying, "The paramedics are on the way."

Slowly, Tezuka turned, glaring at the Egyptian captain, as if had something to do with his mother fainting.

The paramedics arrived fairly quickly and gently pried Tezuka away from his mother so they could get her on a gurney. "We'll take care of her," they assured as they took her away to the ambulance. His grandfather told him to stay put before rushing to climb into the ambulance beside Ayane.

"Captain?"

Tezuka felt his knees weaken and he fell to his knees upon seeing the ambulance speed away, sirens blaring

The Seigaku team watched, shocked and helpless as their captain sank down to the ground. For Ryuzaki, in particular, her brain barely registered the fact that she was witnessing the strongest pillar of Seigaku start to chip and crack.

Oishi hesitantly made a step towards his friend, debating whether or not to try to comfort him. His uncertainty stopped him and instead, softly, he called, "Tezuka?"

The spectacled boy rose from his knees silently, murmuring, "I have to go." He ran off in the direction where the paramedics wheeled his mother out of the park.

A/N: Alright…anyone slightly confused? I am. These Egyptians appear to be very cryptic, but oh well. The team called Tezuka's name alot, they just as shocked and confused as the rest of us. Yes, I put _actual _tennis pros here, though I'm not sure if Philipoussis still plays (or if I spelled his name right). As for Tezuka's new drinking habit, well, I may expand upon it or not. The title is from the Hurt song "Summers Lost." It's a very emotional song when you hear it. Most of their songs grip your heart in a way. Let me know what you think? Review!!!


	11. Assurance

Disclaimer: Don't own PoT. If I did Tezuka would be the main character.

Chapter 11: Assurance

Tezuka got to the hospital as fast as he could and asked the desk clerk urgently where his mother was being held. She said that she was rushed to the emergency room. He hurried down the hall to the ER, but before he could get close to the door, his grandfather popped out of nowhere grabbing hold of him.

"Hold it! You can't go in."

"But…"

"It's out of our hands now. We can only wait."

Tezuka turned to face his grandfather trying to gauge what he was really feeling, what he really knew was going on behind those doors. His grandfather placed a comforting hand on the side of Tezuka's neck. "Just wait."

Tezuka bowed his head in acknowledgement of his grandfather's instruction.

Swallowing the painful lump in his throat, Tezuka waited in the lobby, head down in thought. Most of what he thought involved his mother's fate and the nagging guilt that he should've been more cautious than to let her go out. He let his guard down. He began to grow anxious and decided to pace back down a hall near the restrooms and took a drink from the water fountain, to take some time to clear his head, yet his mind wandered.

"Tezuka."

He looked over, "Oishi?"

There was a pause as Tezuka waited for Oishi to respond. Oishi was looking down in sadness and remorse and he was shaking slightly. "Why?"

"What, Oishi?"

"Why didn't you tell us, Tezuka? Why didn't you tell us your mother was sick?"

_I don't want to deal with this right now._ Tezuka turned his back on the vice-captain without a word. Oishi clenched his fists and charged forward, spinning Tezuka around, grabbing his shirt and forcing him against the wall.

"Dammit Tezuka! Don't you run away from us!"

Tezuka was stunned at Oishi's outburst and sudden strength.

"Are we that unreliable to you?" Oishi's voice softened and cracked. "We are a team and teammates stick together. No matter what. Why didn't you tell us you had family problems? At the very least we could've taken some of your duties upon ourselves."

But that wasn't him. His responsibilities were his alone. It had nothing to do with the reliability of his teammates.

"Tezuka?"

Tezuka stiffened, his breath constricted the more he thought about it. His mother could very well die and he was slowly becoming an emotional wreck. He was never more unsure of anything else, than he was now.

"I…" he said slowly, uncertain of how to respond. "I don't know what will happen if…"

The rest of his sentence remained unsaid, but Oishi could fill in the blanks. Biting back tears, he pulled his captain to him in a tight, comforting, brotherly embrace. Tezuka refused to let tears water his eyes, but his sadness, he knew, was very apparent and if he were any other, he would no doubt cry a little onto Oishi's shoulder. But he wasn't that type of guy. Yet, Tezuka was human enough to feel a small amount of comfort, and was almost driven to the edge when he felt more arms wrap around him. His entire team—his teammates gathered around and embraced their captain in an emotional group hug.

It was well over two hours before the doctors would allow anyone to see Tezuka's mother in the ICU. The doctors still wanted to do some tests in hopes of making a complete diagnosis. Tezuka insisted that his teammates went home, for it would be a while before an update on Ayane's condition. Begrudgingly, most of them left. Oishi was the only one who stayed behind, and he was adamant about it. Besides, his uncle was there. If anything, Oishi could hang out with him when he was on break.

At around 9 o'clock, Hadakuru approached his grandson, depression flooding his face. "Kunimitsu, if you want to see her you can do it now before they have to take her."

Tezuka nodded and stood, following his grandfather towards the ICU. Once they reached the room, his grandfather opened the door slowly and motioned for Tezuka to enter. He hesitated only for a moment but he walked in and instantly became frozen to the spot. There was Ayane, laying helplessly on the bed, attached by tubes to machines that made too much noise for Tezuka's liking. She was unconscious and an air mask was attached over her nose and mouth. He had never seen her in such a pathetic state. Tezuka swallowed and turned to his grandfather. "Can I be alone with her?"

Hadakuru nodded and turned out of the room and closed the door softly. Tezuka took a seat at his mother's bedside. She looked peaceful actually, and so still that if the machines weren't indicating her vital signs, he would've thought that she was dead.

Still, even on her potential deathbed, she still held her ghostly beauty, her unconscious peaceful slumber only softening her face even more. He took her limb hand in his, feeling its coolness and caressing the back of her soft, pale hand with his thumb, contemplating everything that has happened.

He remembered, when he was a small boy, she would sing to him lullabies to sleep, rubbing his back gently. Her smile used to be so brilliant, and her lips heaven when she would kiss her young son. That comfort and security was welcomed, especially after his father left. But that was stripped away, when one day she broke down from the stress and the distraught after her husband abandoned them, and for several months the only contact he had with her was through a glass window at a mental institution. And then, at the end of his junior high career, her health faded and finally at the beginning of the year her health collapsed, leaving her completely unable to work. At that point it was his turn to take care of her.

He squeezed her hand in regret, thinking that he should've been more attentive to her, kept the job at the Ringo Bookstore and quit the tennis club, but the thought of giving up tennis made him sick to his stomach. Was tennis, though, more important than the welfare of his family?

Guilt continued to tear at him. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, to ask her. And now, he may not have the chance. Her loss, he confessed to himself, would destroy him.

***

Maria rushed into the hospital lobby, finding Oishi waiting patiently, "Shuichiro, I came as soon as I heard from Eiji."

"Maria?" Oishi was shocked to see his friend here.

"What happened exactly?"

"Tezuka's mother collapsed at the Invitational, and she was taken to the ER," Oishi stretched his back a little.

"Will _he_ be okay?" she whispered sternly, nodding towards Tezuka as he walked towards them from the hallway followed by his grandfather.

"I hope so."

Tezuka approached them looking a little stunned at seeing Maria's presence.

"They have to take her for more tests again, " Tezuka announced flatly. "Do you still want to stay? It could be a while."

Oishi shrugged, "I'll stay for a while if you need company."

"Do what you will."

They sat and waited patiently, for any news, for well over an hour. Maria returned at one point with some food. She handed a sandwich and soda to Oishi. "Thank you, Maria-chan. I was getting hungry," her friend said as he unwrapped a sandwich.

"Yeah, " she said looking down at the other sandwiches in the bag, "I didn't know what Tezuka or his grandfather want. Do you think turkey sandwiches would be okay?"

Oishi chuckled, "I'm sure they would appreciate the offer, at the very least." He nodded towards Officer Hadakuru who was coming from the restroom.

"Hadakuru-san," she addressed holding out a sandwich, "Would you like something to eat, I hope turkey is fine."

"Oh, thank you, young lady, " Hadakuru gratefully took the proffered food, "But you didn't have to…"

Maria shrugged, "I was getting something for myself anyway. Where's your grandson?"

Hadakuru looked around, "It seems he has strayed from the pack…"

They spotted him over at a far away chair, lounging, resting his cheek on his propped up palm, staring with a distant expression on his face.

Maria heaved a sigh. _Oh, this will be fun._

Tezuka made no move to acknowledge her presence as she came to his side. She laid the sandwich on his lap. "Here," she said softly. He didn't even move and remained quiet.

She sat down next to him and said, "You need to eat something." Still he ignored her, so she decided to push some buttons, "If you don't eat enough, you could very well end up in a similar bed as your mother."

That was uncalled for, but it worked. The coldness of her tone got to Tezuka, and her turned towards her unsure of how to react properly. Her face was frozen, her green eyes darkened, she was serious.

Tezuka mostly did not feel like getting into verbal confrontation, he could sense she was stubborn, and so he submitted and started to eat the turkey sandwich not realizing how hungry he actually was until he took the first bite.

"See that wasn't so bad."

Eventually Oishi had to leave and take Maria home, still Tezuka waited for some news concerning his mother.

"Kunimitsu," his grandfather said, "Go home and get some sleep. I'll call you if anything should happen."

Weary and tired, Tezuka obeyed and left for home. As soon as he reached his house, he headed straight to bed, but could not sleep. He tossed and turned for nearly and hour, before realizing that sleep had left him. With a frustrated sigh, Tezuka got back out of bed, knowing that this guilt about his mother would not allow him reprieve. He headed downstairs and again to the liquor cabinet. Regretfully, he poured some liquor into a glass. This time, he didn't immediately swig back the beverage; instead, in his sadness he stared at the liquid. His sorrow overtook him as he realized that tomorrow his mother would not be there, in her home, where Tezuka could care for her. As a male his passive emotion of sadness turned quickly to aggression as what was normal for his sex to feel. In a sudden flood of violence he flung the full glass against the wall, watching it shatter, splattering alcohol on the wall.

Flustered, he staggered backwards a little, running a quivering hand over his eyes. He slumped to his knees and reached over to gather up the broken glass. As he picked up one particularly large shard of glass, more self-aggression flooded his body. Numbly he gripped, the shard tightly, squeezing and squeezing, feeling a pleasurable release of endorphins followed by thick liquid flooding his palm, blood seeping through his fingers. The shard began to cut deeper and only then did the pain sensors reached his brain, jerking him to his senses.

He dropped the shard, the clattering echoing in his ears. He swallowed, realizing what he had done. He somehow allowed his sorrow to turn itself into self-destructive behavior; little did he know that once it started it could not be stopped. Tezuka rushed to the kitchen sink and washed the blood vigorously from his hand, hissing as the cut began to sting. He took some bandages from the bathroom and bandaged his hand to stop the bleeding.

Once that was done, Tezuka returned to the kitchen and finished cleaning up the mess, before returning to bed, falling asleep this time…

***

Tezuka found himself in the middle of a forest standing amongst bare trees. Suddenly the ground beneath his feet began to shake and vibrate. He braced his feet steady, but suddenly thick, strong roots, branches, and vines burst forth from the ground wrapping themselves around his legs and creeping up, constricting his body, trapping him.

Loud screeching pierced the sky, and as much as he tried to move, he couldn't, but he could see winged creatures swooped towards him. They had the body of large birds, their legs extended and muscular and their faces were that of women, feathers lining what would have been human features.

One harpy swooped down, crashing into the palm of his injured hand, tearing into the cut. The other harpies joined her, gnawing and biting at his limbs. One managed to tear his left arm completely, cleanly off and another plucked one of his eyes out. Tears of blood began to run down his face from the crown of his head where the winged monsters tore the hair and scalp from his head. Finally they descended on his torso and face, teeth raking and peeling his skin off…

A/N: I know it is a fluffy sappy chapter, and I apologize. But be aware that his torture did not stop. Although the title is another Hurt song, it really reflects what happens. I think that the next chapter may contain the reason why this is rated M, if my story hadn't done that already. Please review.


	12. Danse Russe

Disclaimer: Don't own PoT

Warning: This contains supremely mature material

Chapter 12: Danse Russe

The news of Tezuka's misfortune somehow traveled all around Seishun High School, and most of the students either stared at him or gave him concerned glances. Students conversing amongst themselves would use careful language, avoiding the words 'parents' or 'mother', when he was nearby, glancing over at him nervously, expecting him to crack.

Even the tennis team became uneasy, and Tezuka would try as he would to resume a normal practice but that didn't stop everyone from walking on eggshells around him.

Thankfully, as the week ended, spirits lifted a little as the anticipation of the ball was on everyone's mind. Tezuka, of course, remained as stoic as always, even distant. The teachers, fully aware of his situation, noticed that his participation in class plummeted.

It was his last class before the weekend. Nagawa-sensei was finishing her lesson on the Assyrians when the bell rang, letting everyone out of school.

"We'll finish this up next week," Nagawa sensei called as the students started packing their bags to leave.

"Tezuka-san, I would like to speak to you for a moment," she said before Tezuka got out the door. Nagawa-sensei pulled a chair up to her desk and motioned for him to sit, "Please have a seat."

Tezuka laid his bag down and obeyed his sensei and Miss Nagawa pulled the chair out from her desk and positioned it across from him, "Tezuka, I'm worried. You look sick, and it seems like you haven't gotten much sleep in the past few months, plus your grades have been slipping."

This wasn't news to him. He realized that with the last few tests he took, his comprehension and application was not as it should've been.

"Tezuka-san," Nagawa-sensei's voice softened and choked a little, like she was on the verge of tears, "I am so sorry about what happened to your mother, and if I had known you had problems I would've tried to help you more in coping with such stress. So, on next Friday before break, I want you to come with me and some other students to take a trip to the museum downtown. I planned on taking a select few of the Art History and World History students there, out of school to see the Egyptian exhibit. I think it would help if you took an extra day off from classes."

Tezuka nodded, "Alright."

"I had planned on inviting you for several weeks now, but I figured that if I spoke to you on a more personal level, you would be less inclined to turn down the offer."

"Is that all, sensei?" his voice was stern and still very distant. "I have to get to practice."

She could tell he was closing himself in, again, so she leaned forward, gently placing a hand on his shoulder causing him to stiffen, "If you need to talk to anyone aside from the advisor, talk to me if you are having problems. Please, Tezuka-san," her voice was pleading and Tezuka realized that she really cared for him…for some reason. He swallowed a little before working up the voice to respond, "I understand, sensei. I will keep that in mind."

***

For Fuji, after practice that day, he had an urgent favor to ask of his older sister. He asked her to do a Tarot reading on his friend. He hated asking her this; he avoided asking for Tarot readings on others' lives. Normally, the requests were for trivial things like the outcomes of tennis matches, but never on a person's life. But this was different. After all that has happened to Tezuka, he wanted to know whether he should be concerned or if everything was just in his head.

"On Kunimitsu Tezuka?" Yumiko asked skeptically, "Why? Is that fine young man in some sort of trouble?"

Fuji sighed, "That's what I want to find out."

"Alright, but you usually don't ask this sort of thing," she said, concern etched on her face.

"I know."

Yumiko finished her reading and called Fuji. His stomach dropped when he saw her grave face.

"Syusuke, I want you to understand…"

Fuji wasn't paying attention, his eyes fixed on the card in the very center: Death. The cloaked figure of Death on the picture eerily reminded him of the dark Egyptian player. His jaw clenched at the coincidence.

"…most of the time, the Death card does not mean literal death," his sister finished. "But I fear that whatever Tezuka-kun's problems are, they will only get worse."

***

Tezuka originally planned on not going to the ball, but his grandfather "persuaded" him to go, fearing that his grandson's depression was reaching higher levels.

The ball was being held at a conference hall, next to Forest Park. The hall itself was supremely large with Victorian-esque furnishings on the walls and a high-rise ceiling with a few chandeliers. Tables were set out so that a circular space was left for dancing. Everyone who attended was dressed in their best attire. Tezuka himself wore a standard black tuxedo. The Egyptians, many noticed, wore magnificent burnooses, embroidered brilliantly with gold. Their dark leader wore a similar outfit as he usually was seen in, except it was white, gold trim on his mantel sparkling in the dim light.

There was never really a time when the dance floor was empty. Most of the Seigaku girls' and boys' teams danced with each other. Tezuka, however stayed on the sidelines watching as the coach of the English team bowed and asked coach Ryuzaki for a chance to dance. Blushing, she gratefully accepted with a few catcalls from the Seigaku team.

***

Joan D'Arc of France was over by the punch bowl, refreshing herself after dancing with her team captain, when she heard a familiar voice beside her, "Who would've thought that the next time we see each other would not be on the tennis court."

She looked over, slightly shocked at seeing Edward Plantagenet standing there, tall, hands behind his back, smiling down at her. He wore a black tuxedo and his long black hair was held, loosely tied by a red ribbon. "Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to see you again."

Joan nodded, "Likewise."

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am indeed. Though I am taking a short break from dancing."

Edward looked a little disappointed, "Pity, I thought I would be granted the pleasure to dance with you tonight."

She sighed. This man was really looking forward to dancing with her and who was she to turn such a charming man down, "I suppose I could muster enough energy for one more dance."

Plantagenet smiled and held out his hand, "Shall we, milady?"

Joan blushed as she took his hand, "Are you some sort of prince or something?"

He laughed, "In my past life, maybe." Then he gracefully led her to the dance floor.

***

"How are you hanging, Tezuka?"

Oishi approached the stoic young man arm-in-arm with Maria Lucia. They had just gotten off the dance floor. Fuji and Yumiko Suzuki, who were previously dancing with each other, sat down beside him.

"Fine." Tezuka responded stiffly.

"You haven't hit the floor yet," Fuji pointed out. "I'm sure Maria would love to dance with you. If she's done with Oishi that is."

"Oh, I'm done for a while," Oishi chuckled.

Maria smiled down at Tezuka, "What do you say?"

The Italian girl, Tezuka could not deny, looked stunning in her close cut dress. The cream colored silk dress hugged her curves nicely and stood out in contrast to Oishi's dark navy blue suit. He was sure she was a good dancer, but he wasn't.

"I don't dance," he declined bluntly, feeling a touch of regret.

"Aww, come on," Fuji whined.

"No worries, I'll teach you," Maria held out her hand. "The steps aren't that difficult, and if you're as good a tennis player as they say you are then it should come along eventually."

He glared up at her. He couldn't quite tell if she was questioning his skills. If dancing was like tennis coordination, then he could handle it. No problem right?

"Come," she beckoned again.

With a sigh, he stood and she reached for his hand, pulling him towards the dance floor. She placed one of his hands on her hip, and held his other hand up and out to the side.

"Just follow my lead. I'll go slow," Maria said softly. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Alright," she started moving with slow steps, bringing them around in a slow circle. "Just move with the rhythm. 1-2-3, 1-2-3…"

It was awkward at first, but as Tezuka found the rhythm, his movements became more in sync with Maria's. Coordination that he gained from his tennis did help. It effectively prevented him from getting his feet all tied up, and in many ways, it was like having a match with her. If the match was totally based on movement and coordination, he would be losing to her.

"Do you think you can take the lead?" she asked at one point.

"I could give it a try," he took the lead, carrying her around the dance floor. He was catching up to her in this match. Tezuka closed his mind off from his surroundings; he knew his whole team was staring at him in awe. He could practically feel Fuji's grin broaden.

Finally, the song ended and Maria smiled up at him, slightly breathless, "You did very well, Tezuka."

He nodded abruptly, "Thank you."

"We should probably take a break."

***

"Echizen-san, what are you doing here?" Inoue called, with Shiba at his side, as he approached the elder Echizen. Nanjiroh turned abruptly placing a finger over his own lips, motioning for them to quiet down.

"What are you doing?" Shiba asked, watching Nanjiroh pick up a glass full of punch. He nodded towards the table where the Egyptians sat, "I want to see something."

"What?"

Inoue and Shiba watched as he passed, clumsily, through the tables, "Excuse me…oh, sorry…"

As he squeezed himself passed the table of Egyptians, by the white cloaked man, he pretended to bump into something gasping, "Oh, crap!" as he dropped his glass.

They watched, as if in slow motion, the glass drop. Only the cloaked man held out his hand, low and behind him, flat, palm up catching the glass upright, not a drop spilled.

Nanjiroh, Inoue, and Shiba stared in silence, stunned at the swiftness and subtlety of the man's amazing reflexes. The cloaked man brought his hand forward and held it up to Nanjiroh.

"Here."

With a shaking hand, Nanjiroh hesitantly retrieved his glass, "Err…thanks."

***

Tezuka found Maria alone in the large, long, dark hallway, outside the side doors from the conference hall. A large pane of glass spanned the entire length of the hall and Maria was sitting on a raised platform ledge spanning the length of the hall, connected to the glass panes. She was staring pensively out at the darkness outside, rain flowing down the large panes. It was oddly melancholic, but clearly Maria was reminiscing about something.

Still, Tezuka said nothing and handed her a glass of punch.

"Thank you," she said briefly, taking the glass and looking back out the window. At her silence, Tezuka began to wonder what she was thinking about, her pensive gaze seemed almost sad. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I was just thinking. Mostly, I was thinking of how to apologize for my attitude towards you on the day we first met. You must've thought I was real bitch."

"No, but I did think along similar lines at the hospital," he said impassively.

Sighing she turned her head to face him, "Fair enough."

The rain filled the brief silence. It was calming though. The sound always managed to calm Tezuka as the rain hit the windowpanes.

"I am amazed though at how unemotional you are though."

"Pardon?"

"You lack essential expressions that define us as human. How do you manage it?"

Tezuka sighed, unable to answer her, "You're not the first one to ask me that."

"I would assume you have felt fear, disappointment, pain, excitement maybe. You must have felt affection and love at some point," Maria said distantly, but still addressing the young captain who stood in front of her.

At the phrase of 'love' and 'affection' Tezuka grimaced, showing slight disgust at such worthless emotions and it did not go unnoticed by Maria. "Is there something that bothers you?"

His expression and voice darkened, "Love is overrated."

He waited for a brief moment expecting her to rebuke him, but no, she gave him a solid look, like she was going to listen to what he had to say. So he continued, "Love and affection are the most dangerous emotions a human can experience. They grow dependent on the object of their love and therefore, grow dependent on love and affection itself. It sucks them dry leaving them helpless, especially when love and affection lies. Then it causes tremendous heartbreak."

Maria frowned at his bitterness, "I guess you speak from experience."

Tezuka shook his head, "No, but I have witnessed it on a close enough level."

Maria turned her head away, "So you most likely never had a girlfriend."

Tezuka didn't answer; he didn't care to tell her about his brief stint with Fuji. Besides she looked like she would've known anyway.

"It is a shame. You don't realize the appeal of your own attraction.

"Do you realize yours?" he blurted without thinking. He cringed at his own loose tongue.

Her lips curled up slightly. She slowly reached forward and cupped his face gently; this time he did not pull away. He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes, and then he felt her soft lips gently press to his. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, drowning out the outside noise of the rain. His hands, almost if they had a mind of their own reached up from his sides, resting his hands on her shoulders. Not thinking, he deepened the kiss, and felt her mouth open, running her tongue along the seam of his lips, prying them open. She plunged her tongue into his mouth, tongue raking over his.

Letting his aggressive male instincts take over caused him to react forcefully. He pressed into her roughly. She moaned in to his mouth as his tongue joined hers. He forced her back to the ledge causing her to sit back, as he leaned further into her. He groaned as he felt his pants grow painfully tighter, and her leg ride up his leg, up to his hip. He broke away, gasping at the sensation. Maria began forming a hot trail of kisses down his chin, jaw, and neck. He gave an involuntary thrust of his hips, moaning at the painful contact of tight, rough fabric against his overly sensitive organ.

Her hand ran down, unbuttoning his shirt and slipping her hand in to feel the smooth flesh of his chest. He gripped her hips to him tightly, reaching up her thigh, finding her panties and pulling them down. He leaned over, breathing heavily on the juncture of her neck and shoulder, before running his lips along the silky, heated flesh.

As aggressive as he was, his dominance was just an illusion. Maria was no virgin. She lost her virginity back in Venice to an old boyfriend when she was fifteen. Ever since then she practiced and refined her skills to play her partners subtly, taking control over the aggressive behavior of males. She tested herself, seeing if she could break into this young man's seemingly impenetrable walls.

His erection was too painful to describe, mainly because his trousers didn't help any and he really would give anything to get out of them at this point. He reached down and unbuckled his belt, and unzipped his pants, lowering his underwear slightly, releasing his erection. He sighed in moderate relief, but it still wasn't enough.

Maria's mouth traveled up his long neck, lips resting on his Adam's apple. She giggled huskily when he swallowed, causing his Adam's apple to bob. When she nibbled on his Adam's apple, he was thrown over the edge and could not control himself.

He entered her forcefully, and awkwardly, shuddering violently at the feel of her heat around his already extremely sensitive member, but it felt too right to be legal. His instincts forced him to thrust forward, and once he started he could not stop, as he felt his own breath grow faster and hearing her heavy breathing. The faster his thrusts were, the harder their breathing came. There was little control in his thrusts and his previous reckless rhythm was thrown off as he felt the pressure build into his lower belly, and at the base of his spine. He clamped his mouth over her shoulder to silence his cries as he thrust into her one last time, completely releasing himself.

Both sucking air into their lungs, Tezuka pulled out and rolled to the side, sinking to the floor, back resting on the ledge, nothing could be heard but their breaths and the rain. He felt Maria's hand entwine into his hair, "That wasn't bad…for your first time."

He looked up at her. She looked so calm, and clean. It was like nothing had happened. The only remnant of what happened between them was the light coat of perspiration on her forehead.

She smiled, "I could tell by your jerky movements. But that only leaves room for improvement."

He glanced down at his exposed self. It was representative of what Maria managed to help pull off: to expose his raw self, his uncontrolled self, his virginity resting in her womb. She gave a low giggle and stood up, "I think we should go back in there. They may get curious as to where we are."

Tezuka looked down at the mess on himself, "You go on ahead, I need to go clean myself up."

Maria nodded and Tezuka stood up, walking further down the hall to the restrooms.

***

Maria got back to the Seigaku tables finding Yumiko, "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Yumiko turned to face Maria and her eyes narrowed slightly, examining Maria. After an uncomfortable pause, Yumiko said pointedly, "You had sex."

Maria jumped slightly. She was sure she left no trace of what happened before she entered the hall. How could Yumiko have known?

"What? How…?"

The girls' captain just waved it away, "I just know these things." She clapped her hands together excitedly, "But more importantly, which one is he?"

"Do you think I would tell you…?"

"Well, let's see. It can't be Fuji. Oishi was here the entire time…"

Yumiko gasped in realization, "No! You didn't!"

"What?"

She squealed, "Ooooh, I can't believe you had sex with Captain Tezuka. You're like a legend now."

Maria rolled her eyes and said sternly, "This does not leave this table."

Yumiko winked, "Got it."

***

Tezuka turned on the faucet of the bathroom sink, intent on washing some of the stains left on his trousers. No matter how hard he tried they would not come off, but at least he dulled the color a little and they could be hidden by his suit coat.

He splashed water on his face to try to regain some sense into what had just happened. He didn't know whether to feel disgusted with himself or not. It felt too right to be that bad. No doubt, due to what Maria had said and her composure after the fact, this was not her first time. He didn't know what he felt about that. She was clearly an intelligent, understanding, if not stubborn girl that had an uncanny ability to pick up on people's emotions and thoughts, someone who knew how to pleasure people.

He stared at himself in the mirror, and heard much to his dread, a meow. Swallowing in shock, he slowly looked over to the side. The spotted silver cat was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. It flicked its tail, beckoning him to follow. Curious, and not believing his eyes, Tezuka followed it out into the darkness of the hallway. The cat scampered down the hall to one of the last doors. It gave one last look at him before creeping through a crack the door made.

Hesitantly, Tezuka crept down the hall, stopping silently at the door, hearing voices from the room behind it. He peaked through the crack, finding the Egyptians sitting in a well furnished meeting room, with a roaring fire in the fireplace. Their leader was sitting in a large backed chair. Heru was in front of him on his knees. Another man, with a navy blue cowl was on his knees as well, holding Heru down by the shoulders.

"It is my fear that Heru will disregard your orders…" the player said. Heru shook his head lightly and spoke softly, "I see no reason why I should, sir. I do not believe I have done anything to warrant Chigaru's suspicions."

Chigaru scoffed, "Then what were you doing talking to him last week?"

"That's enough," the cloaked man said in such deadly calm. "I'll give you two a warning. If such trouble rises again from your squabbles, I will bench the both of you. Do I make myself clear?"

Both players nodded, and the hooded men started drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair, "It would seem though, that we have a visitor in our midst."

The players' faces all turned towards the door Tezuka was looking through. Suddenly a huge arm shot out and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up as a wild, dread-locked man pulled him through the door roughly and forcefully sat him in a wooden desk chair, holding him down by the shoulders.

Dazed, he focused his eyes, seeing the hooded man walk up to him, something shiny, glinting in his hand. He pressed it to Tezuka's cheek and he could feel the cold, sharp steel of the knife against his jaw, "You shouldn't eavesdrop on other people's conversations." The man brought the knife up Tezuka's jaw just under his ear. "In some civilizations, they would punish such conduct by cutting off an ear."

He slowly he ran the blade across Tezuka's cheek. Tezuka felt his own flesh split and sting under the knife's trail. The hooded man brought the knife back, hitting Tezuka across the mouth with the butt of it, splitting his lip and Tezuka tasted blood. The man pushed him further back into the chair, hand at his throat.

"What doesn't kill you is supposed to make you stronger, right? Let's test that," the man plunged the knife into Tezuka's thigh. Tezuka tried to yell in pain but the large blind man's arm wrapped around his head, covering his mouth the silence his cries. It was even more painful when the man wriggled the knife a bit, tearing even further into his flesh, before wrenching it out.

Tezuka could feel his hot, thick blood gush out of his leg. The cloaked man flung him off the chair, kicking him in the side.

"It's unfortunate that you have involved yourself in this mess," the hooded man's eyes glinted through the shadow of his hood. That was the last thing Tezuka saw before everything went black.

***

"Hey, Fuji-kun," Maria approached the brown haired boy, stopping abruptly when she saw his eyes open, narrowing in on her. "What?" she asked at this glance.

"You had sex," he stated bluntly.

Exasperated, Maria threw her hands up in the air, "What the-? Do I have a sign on me or something?"

Fuji smiled, "And it was with Tezuka."

"Oh, Christ! Did Yumiko tell you?"

Fuji grinned, "I have my ways."

Maria just stared at him, "You're a freaky little man, you know that?"

Fuji started looking around, "Speaking of which, where is our captain?"

Maria shrugged, "I was about to ask you that. I last saw him going to the bathroom in the hall, but he should've returned by now."

Fuji grew concerned, "Did you ask Oishi or Coach Ryuzaki?"

"No, but we can go check with them next."

***

Tezuka came to in a dark, cool room. Weakly he lifted himself up and looked at his surroundings, finding that he was in the same meeting room, only that it was empty and the fireplace was cold, like no one was ever there.

Rubbing his head, he staggered out of the room into the dark hallway. As soon as he did, he heard someone call his name from down the hall. Looking up he saw Fuji, Maria, Ryuzaki-sensei, and Oishi running towards him.

"Good lord, what happened to you."

"What?" Tezuka responded hazily, still trying to regain senses.

"You're bleeding," Fuji pointed to his cheek. Tezuka ran his hand on his cheek, feeling sticky liquid. He looked down at his fingers, finding blood on his fingertips.

"What did you do to yourself?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked in shock.

"I didn't…the Egyptians…" Tezuka murmured in shock. It all wasn't a vision. He was bleeding from the cut in his cheek. They had to be there, the wounds were there, something must've happened.

"What are you talking about?" Oishi's eyebrows drew together in concern and disbelief, "Tezuka, the Egyptians were at their table the entire night."

"That's…" he began. It wasn't possible. He knew that they were there. He would never damage himself. He realized in horror that he had. That night after the hospital…he _was_ capable of such a thing.

"Excuse me," he softly said, as he numbly passed through the group.

"Tezuka?"

"I…I have to leave," he muttered as he left through the doors.

Maria watched him walk away. _Great. I'm falling for a maniac._

Tezuka found himself outside in the rain, pondering what happened to him. Everything was fine; he learned how to dance and experienced the ecstasy of sex all in the same night. How could all that turn into such a damaging situation? He seethed as pain suddenly seared his thigh. He looked down at the deep, bleeding gash in his leg. Damaging was right.

Rain soaked his suit and streaked his glasses and all he wanted to do was to lie down and disappear from the earth. He didn't feel safe anymore. He was stuck in a corner and could not find any reprieve from this never-ending nightmare.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. Last week was extremely hectic for me and it didn't help that this chapter was unbearably long. I think I got sloppy on the way, too, so I'm not sure if I should be pleased at all with this chapter. I may have to do a rewrite later. This is not a romance. I just added the sex scene to make a few points. Think of the unneeded sex scenes in the Watchmen, or any other movie. It was used to illustrate Maria's character and her role as a foil to Tezuka's cold character. She still is not considered a main character, in my mind. Originally, I was thinking of Tezuka getting a little "close" with Miss Nagawa, but my computer put up red flags at the student/teacher relationship thing. Apparently everyone is attracted to Tezuka (Can you blame them?) The "Danse Russe" title is from a highly recommended song from Hurt. Please Review.


	13. Overdose

Disclaimer: I seriously don't own POT and I don't own Prince of Tennis

Chapter 13: Overdose

During the next week, Tezuka had to do his best to not feel self-conscious about the slice on his cheek. It wasn't so deep that he would have to get stitches like his leg but it wasn't unnoticed. He had a fun time, though, trying to explain to the doctor and his grandfather about the gash on his leg. He lied and made up some story about tripping and falling on a sharp stone. His grandfather was skeptical but didn't push this issue; he had a bad enough time trying to get his grandson to talk about the odd stains on his suit.

Nearing the end of the week Tezuka's cut was healing nicely and would probably leave no scar. Even his health, overall, was improving slightly, but on the day of the museum trip, he awoke a little later than anticipated. His clock's batteries ran out.

He didn't bother with breakfast and hastily pulled on his uniform, noticing something fall out of his pocket. Bending over he picked up the folded piece of paper and opened it. It was the photocopied information sheet on the Egyptian Mau cat breed. He never got around to really read it.

"Kunimitsu, you're going to be late," his grandfather called, "Get going, boy."

Tezuka stuffed that long-neglected paper back into his pocket and headed out to school.

There weren't many people going on the trip. Six students including himself were from Art and World History classes and he didn't know any of them personally. Maria was one of the Art History students though, but ever since the ball, being around her was awkward with some sort of tension. Sexual tension, maybe, but he wasn't sure. Nevertheless, Miss Nagawa was pleased to see him.

"I'm glad you made it Tezuka-kun."

Tezuka nodded.

"The purpose of this trip is for you to learn more about the ancient Egyptians, which will be our next unit. But just relax and enjoy the trip, okay?"

The Tokyo Museum was large and usually busy, but during the weekday, it was oddly empty, leaving the students to roam freely.

Miss Nagawa allowed the students to tour the rooms freely, so they could take their time in reading the captions next to the displays. The Art History students were analyzing the statuettes and art, and occasionally Nagawa-sensei would call the students together to give a few points on a certain aspect of Egyptian culture illustrated by the displays.

At first Tezuka, was fine. It was just a museum after all, there was nothing that would add to his worries. There was no schoolwork, or taking notes in class. It should've been like a vacation from his stress.

Yet the further he wandered through the halls of Egyptian artifacts, the more nervous he became. He couldn't explain why, but staring at the figurines of gods and pictures of tombs gave an unsettling feeling in his stomach and his breathing quickened. He was overwhelmed, and could not concentrate.

He tried to calm himself by taking slow breaths and that allowed his heart rate to slow a little. He just focused on what he was to learn and how he could apply this information during the next lesson after break.

The students arrived at a section that described how the pyramids were built. Tezuka stood near the end of the section, reading on the architect and pharaoh who built the pyramids, but he turned his attention away as he heard incoherent whispering in the next empty section.

At the every center of the wall was a large replica of a famous fresco painting of an Egyptian man hunting blue and white birds. The whispers continued as Tezuka's eyes traveled all over the replica. His blood pounded in his ears as found another figure on the left side of the painting. It was hard to see at first, but he drew closer. It showed a bird trying to fly away, but something was grabbing at its wing. It was a cat. A spotted cat.

Shaking, he took the photocopy of the Mau from his pocket and held it up, trying to compare the two images. He looked to the side of the painting finding one of the plaques labeled 'Hunting Cat'.

_Felines were highly revered in ancient Egypt and were often mummified upon death. It was considered a capital sin to deliberately harm any cat and was punishable by death in some cases. Egyptians prized cats for their hunting skills and protective care of their own young. Their ability to live long lives and defy death made them legend. In mythology, cats and other feline animals were otherworldly creatures that guarded the underworld._

Tezuka moved away from the replica to the next painting, brow creased and plastered with sweat. He wiped his brow fervently, looking down at the Egyptian Mau picture in his hand. He compared it to a smaller papyrus painting in a glass case. It showed a similar cat to the one in the fresco. The cat held a long knife in its paw, cutting through a long snake. The plaque underneath it read:

_Animals were often mummified and placed in tombs. There have been mass graves of felines and other animals excavated throughout Egypt and it shows how important these animals were to the Egyptian peoples._

_In this case an Egyptian spotted cat cuts down Aphophis. These cats were seen as messengers of the gods, more importantly messengers of the God Ra and the Goddess Bastet._

Something didn't sit right with him as he clutched the photocopy tightly in his hand. He was sure he was overreacting, but it all seemed too…connected. He heard a hum, a distant, seemingly atmospheric, melodic hum and it sounded like it had a female voice. He slowly turned his head to a statue in a display case, a spotlight shining on the black material of the statue.

His throat caught as his vision flicked over, like an old black and white projector film and he prepared for a horrifying vision, but it didn't come. His vision would shift in and out from reality, staring at the statue in the case to the vision of a dark tomb, an unidentifiable statue in the center.

The statue, in reality, was of a cat made of obsidian, gold painted around the eyes and a gold ring though its nose and its ear. His alternate vision drew closer and closer to the statue in the middle, every time it flashed. Tezuka wandered towards the feline statue curious and blinking, trying to fight back his alternate vision. He stopped abruptly when his alternate vision got close enough to the center statue for him to see that it was indeed a statue of…a cat. The same on he was transfixed on in reality. He felt his chest ache, his hearing fade away, and his throat close up. Coughing and sputtering, he sank to the floor, eyes fixated on a few drops of blood that he spat out. His hearing returned briefly to hear Nagawa-sensei shout his name in horror before he blacked out, collapsing onto the floor.

"Tezuka!" Nagawa-sensei glanced over finding Tezuka collapsing to the floor. She rushed over to him and bent down, rolling him over onto his back. "Somebody get some help," she hollered and the closest student ran out.

Miss Nagawa felt for his vitals. Everything seemed fine, he was breathing. She tried shaking him awake. "Tezuka! Come on."

"What happened, ma'am?" a curator rushed over.

"I don't know. I just found him hunched over—Is help arriving soon?"

"Any minute now."

"Hang in there, Tezuka."

***

Tezuka opened his eyes finding himself suspended a little off the ground. He was naked, and cold. He looked around seeing that he was in a cold stone dungeon of sorts. He tried to move, but when he tried, his back was caught in searing pain that was followed by a dripping sound. He felt hot, thick liquid trickle down his back from several places. He looked down, finding blood drip onto the stone floor. He glanced at his arms. They were shackled to the ceiling, and he turned his had back a little to see what was going on with his back. When he saw what little he could see over his shoulder, he turned his head back forward, swallowing, not wanting to believe. Several hooks were plunged in his back, holding his skin and body up by chains, like he was a meat carcass.

He felt like he was going to vomit, but retching would cause movement that would equal unbearable pain. Even when he wriggled slightly to try to ease down the bile at his throat, he felt the painful tug of the hooks in his skin.

"My, my, that looks like it hurts."

The cloaked man appeared in front of Tezuka from the shadows. Tezuka wanted to speak, to yell vile things at this tormentor but he couldn't, he felt that all that energy left him.

The cloaked man flung his hand out to the side, and Tezuka could hear the cracking of his knuckles as he flexed his hand. The man walked purposefully walked up to him, hand still poised out at his side, and he gripped Tezuka's jaw with his other hand. The man brought his hand back and plunged it though the left side of Tezuka's chest.

Tezuka's screams came out as gurgles as blood worked up from his throat. The cloaked man worked his hand around in his chest, humming in curiosity, " Strange. There's no heart here." Tezuka spat out more blood, as the man pulled his hand out, leaving a trail of dark crimson on the floor. Tezuka tried to heave for breaths, as the dark man wiped his bloodied hand on the other side of Tezuka's chest. "Things will change for you, boy," he said casually as he unlocked the shackles on Tezuka's wrists and then placing his hands on the shoulders of the boy, "And it won't be for the better."

The man forcefully pushed down on the shoulders. Tezuka's cries filled the walls of the dungeon as he felt the hooks tear the skin from his back. He fell on his knees, hunched over, a hole in his chest, and a skinless back exposing itself to cold air. He felt his body seize up, and energy seep away from him. Still he managed to work up some energy and get his voice working.

The man stopped in his tracks upon hearing Tezuka's voice, "One day…I will…I will get you."

The man gave a dark chuckle, "You won't have that chance."

Tezuka fell forward onto the floor, as the last of his energy left him.

A/N: Oooh, eerie. The paintings and statue I mention in this chapter are actual paintings. I don't make all this shit up. The fresco painting is called the Fowling Scene of Neb-Amun's tomb, and the other has a variety of names, but I guess you could look up 'cat and Aphophis' on Google or something. The title of this chapter is one of my favorite songs from Hurt. I highly recommend checking this song out. Please Review


	14. Decay

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis

Chapter 14: Decay

"Maria-chan!"

Maria spun around spotting Oishi running up to her. "Did you find anything?"

She nodded taking out a slip of paper from her bag, "Here's where one of them have been spotted recently."

"Thanks. This has been a big help," Oishi pocketed the slip, looking back at his friend sheepishly, "Are you doing anything over break?"

"I don't have any plans. Why?"

Oishi sucked in a breath, "I need some help. I'm going to need help taking care of Tezuka over break. I managed to convince his grandfather to go on a vacation. He needs to get out of that house, but Tezuka is too sick to go anywhere, so I volunteered to watch over him. Only at some points I have to intern with my uncle at the hospital. That's where I need your help. All you have to do is hang around and make sure Tezuka doesn't…well…die during the night. There's not much involvement."

As much as Oishi tried to make the last statements light, there was pain in knowing the reality of the statement. Maria bit her lip, not really wanting to give him her answer. It was not that she did not want to help her dearest friend taking care of a sick young man; she did not know if she could pull the knowledge of her relation with the sick man and witnessing his collapse and sit in the same house as he. Still, Oishi looked desperate and who was she to deprive her good friend a chance to experience his experience his dream job? She was staying at Tezuka's house probably doing what she would be doing at home anyway. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad and Oishi would be around sometimes to keep her company, and all she had to do is to check to see if Tezuka was breathing.

Swallowing, Maria hesitantly accepted, "Sure, I'll help."

Oishi let out a breath, relieved, "Thanks, you don't know how much this helps. I'll pay you back somehow, I swear to it."

***

"Hadakuru-san?" a nurse came up to the seated old man. He raised his head in acknowledgement.

"Follow me please."

The nurse led Hadakuru down a few halls to where his unwell daughter lay. She was still attached to several machines, and had a breathing tube through her nose, but she was wide awake.

"Hello, dad," she greeted weakly with a shy smile. Akira Hadakuru sat down next to the bed reaching for his daughter's hand, "Ayane, how do you feel?"

She still held her weak smile in spite of being miserable, "Exactly how it looks. What about Kunimitsu?"

He knew that she would ask something like this, but he had no idea how to present her son's conditions in her frail state. She was no fool; she could see that her son wasn't feeling all that great in recent weeks.

"Ayane," her father paused briefly," Ayane, Kunimitsu is very sick. He collapsed during a school trip Friday. He's at home, safe. Bedridden, of course."

He saw her eyes fill with tears and guilt and she whispered, "Oh god!"

Hadakuru shook his head, gripping her hand tightly, "Don't. You mustn't blame yourself. No one is to blame. Kunimitsu's stress has gotten to the best of him."

He leaned back as soon as she calmed a bit, "Which is why I'm leaving for a few days. I need to get out of that house before there is nothing left of out family." He took a deep breath. He knew that him leaving would not make Kunimitsu or Ayane feel any better. The last thing they needed was another man walking out on them. "Some of Kunimitsu's friends will be taking care of him during the break. They are the ones who…persuaded me to get a little vacation."

Ayane sadly nodded, but held a certain satisfaction in her gaze, "If Kunimitsu trusts them, then I trust them. I also want you to remain healthy."

"I can promise that I will try."

***

Oishi and Maria approached the quiet and desolate house belonging to the Tezuka family. It looked relatively normal, but the air around it was heavy, belying a history of sadness and hardship. The feeling caused them both to shiver. Inside, Oishi paused and whispered, "He's upstairs."

He led her to Tezuka's room and opened the door. The room stung their nostrils with a distinct smell of sickness and perspiration. Tezuka was lying face up on his bed, chest rising and falling in tune with his labored breathing. His skin was sallow and ashen, all life drained away, the sweat on his body glistening, and eyes shut tight in pain.

"Oishi?" Tezuka rasped, unaware of anything around him.

"Yes, it's me," Oishi called back, "Lucia-chan is here to help too."

Tezuka whispered her first name faintly, in response. He swallowed hard and flung an arm over his face. "You didn't have to do this," he croaked out softly.

"Nonsense. You just call one of us if you need anything. Though I will be unavailable sometimes because of my internship, Lucia-chan will be here."

"Thanks," he breathed.

Oishi and Maria slipped out of the room, closing the door behind them. Oishi turned to his friend, speaking softly, "I have to run a few errands, but I'll get some take-out and a movie for us on the way back. I shouldn't be long."

Maria nodded, "Alright."

***

Oishi took out the slip of paper Maria gave him, crumpled it up, and threw it into the nearby trash bin. He stared at a man with a white bandanna sitting on the park bench, near the pond. The man was gazing out at the calm waters, a small serene smile on his face.

Frowning Oishi approached the bench, getting the man's attention by speaking softly, "What did you do to him?"

The man cocked his head. Oishi continued, "My friend. What did you guys do to him?"

The man turned his head forward speaking bluntly," We did not touch him."

Frustrated Oishi bent over and grabbed the collar of the man's overcoat, "Don't give me that! How come you guys are always around when shit happens to him! What about the ball…hmm? Tezuka came out with scratches all over him claiming your people had something to do with it!"

The man's face didn't change but it was only then that Oishi found that his expression…even with his closed eyes…seemed sympathetic, yet he spoke skeptically, "Are you sure it started when we showed up?"

Oishi thought about it, realizing that Tezuka's declining health and misfortune was beginning before they had even arrived. His grip on the man slackened a little, "But you know something? Clearly your presence has not helped."

The man shook his head, "Nothing I can tell you."

That was not what Oishi wanted to hear. Still he released the man.

"Your friend's fate is sealed. There is nothing you can do to help him now. Interference would not help with something he needs to accomplish on his own," the man straightened his collar. Oishi was speechless, unable to comprehend what his cryptic message meant. The man stood, "Well, I better get going."

"I can't just leave him like this!"

"You're going to have to. I am sorry I couldn't help you more with your friend."

Making his way out of the park, Heru expected to find Chigaru as he popped out from behind a tree.

"Satisfied, hound?" he said defensively to the shorter teammate.

"That depends. What did you tell him?"

Heru chuckled lightly, "So much for your hearing."

"Says the man with perfect eye sight, and yet always has them closed." Chigaru growled back.

To emphasize a point, Heru revealed his piercing light gray eyes, managing to cause Chigaru to shiver.

"It would please you," Heru said dangerously, eyes boring into the man in navy blue, "That I gave him nothing he could possibly understand."

Chigaru scoffed, "We'll see." Heru continued to walk as Chigaru called, "You may have keen eyesight, Heru, but you can't see into peoples' souls. That is where our master trumps you."

**

Oishi returned to the forsaken house with some pizza and a suspense movie. Maria was sitting on the couch watching an old comedy on TV and she looked over her shoulder as Oishi came in, "How did it go?"

He shook his head, "The only cryptic thing he suggested was that we let him solve his issue on his own."

"Isn't that what we've been doing?"

"I know, however he seemed to know more than he was willing to give. So at least I know that _I'm _not going insane. Thanks, by the way, for getting his location."

"Yeah, just don't ask me how I found it."

Oishi seemed a little confused at her statement, but didn't get a chance to evaluate the meaning behind it as she brought him back to reality, "What should we give Tezuka?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think some soup or ramen. Something that would be easy on his stomach. We don't want him throwing up more than he already is."

Oishi and Maria found some soup broth and cut up some vegetables to place in the beef stock broth. They prepared Tezuka's makeshift dinner as quickly as they could, while making it decently edible. Maria offered to take up the soup, saying that Oishi should relax.

There she found Tezuka wrapped tightly in his covers, only the top of his messy brown hair could be seen. It was apparent that Tezuka was experiencing an alteration between cold spells and hot sweats, but he moved slightly when he heard the door open remaining in his blanket cocoon. Maria placed the bowl on his nightstand.

"Here," she said softly, "this should warm you up a bit."

She bent down so she was eye-level with Tezuka's horizontal body. He pulled the covers down his face, breathing out. Silently, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up a little too quickly as he braced himself by gripping the side of the mattress firmly and leaning forward.

"Do you think you can eat it on your own?"

He nodded, taking the warm bowl in his hands. They were quivering. Just like the rest of his muscles, twitching under his skin. She was worried that he may spill the soup all over himself. Tezuka stared at the bowl and quietly said, "You didn't have to come here."

"Do you not want me here?"

He didn't answer, but he was clearly uncomfortable around her. Mostly because of their previous escapade that occurred when they were alone. Something stirred within him at the memory of that heated night. He cringed as his unhealthy body gave a quick jolt, yet his hands did not allow a drop to be spilt.

"I'm here to help you, not seduce you."

He wanted to take that as a light-hearted, meaningless statement, but he could not manage to feel at ease, not as he was on the verge of death. He had flu-like symptoms and occasionally blood could be seen in his vomit. A friend of his grandfather's who was a retired physician could not make an accurate diagnosis of what was wrong with him and urged his grandfather to take Tezuka to the hospital.

Quite frankly, Hadakuru was tired of hospitals. It wasn't that he didn't trust the facilities, but he felt more comfortable having his grandson near him, deathly ill or not.

As the next day went by, Oishi took his turn in attending to Tezuka, mostly by keeping him company the few times he was coherent. Tezuka was instructed to rest, but, Oishi found, he frequently had fits in his sleep and his already high fever would spike, he broke into sweats and started mumbling incoherently. It scared both Maria and Oishi when Tezuka would awake delusional, not quite realizing his surroundings. Maria was not looking forward to the day Oishi would leave for his internship, and that day came quickly.

The day started out okay and Maria had time to wander out into the garden. Wilted flowers, dead overgrown grass, and weeds found their home here and even the pond water was a murky brown, a lone koi fish swimming in circles pining for some friends. It was obviously a beautiful garden at one point, but neglect that plagued this family reached this place.

Later in the day, she heard a groan coming from upstairs and she found Tezuka tossing and turning, fighting away some demons of his dreams. Gently, she touched his shoulder, and he jerked awake violently, breathing hard. It wasn't really a good idea to stay so close to him, given the pattern of his delusions. Ignoring her better judgment, Maria drew close gripping his shoulders to keep him steady as he shook. His skin was cold and clammy, the sweat making it greasy, drenching his already stained tank top. His tremors stopped and his breathing slowed. He hung his head, gathering his senses, drenched hair falling over his eyes. She held him upright, fearing that he would fall forward.

"Tezuka! Can you hear me?"

She waited a short while for his answer. A mild nod of his head confirmed it, "Yes, I can hear you."

She dropped her hands, watching as he ran his hands vigorously over his face, clearly bothered by his dream.

"You want to talk about it? Your dream, I mean."

"No, just…just stay," his voice was so soft, compared to his usual sharp tone, and it drew her in, seeing that there was no chance of her turning away. Maria sat next to him on the bed. Risky, she knew, but his comfort at this moment was her priority. Anything to keep him calm as he rode out the horrible memories. All he needed was something for him to grasp onto reality, and not better way than to have a person nearby. He was so used to waking up alone and disturbed out of his wits, but the presence of Oishi and Maria was a wash of relief that released this frightening strain.

But never had he felt so weak.

Now, one of his weaknesses sat beside him as a constant reminder, looking over his hunched form. She boldly touched his neck to feel his pulse rate and temperature. He was still very warm, but not compared the heated fever he had a moment ago. Her fingers detected a minor jump in his pulse.

"You still have a very high fever," she said in a clinical tone, "I wouldn't move around much."

He mentally scoffed, knowing that he could break that rule by taking Maria again, then and there…

Hold on. What? Where did that come from?

That was definitely _not_ on his mind a moment ago. Maybe it was the dangerous elixir of his fever and the subconscious memory of the ball that made him think this way. This couldn't be good. The tension was so tight by now it could almost snap.

The first time she knew something was wrong was when his pulse started to race again. His head rose, a pensive, determined expression painted on his face, as he knew that she had felt the increase in his heart rate. His eyes shifted over to his nervous her nervous face. He drew in closer, face dark and intimidating, eyes so cold.

"You know, in the 'Inferno' those who divulge in the sins of the flesh are destined to flow forever in a whirling torrent in hell," his dark voice washed over her, implications heavy. Was he calling her a whore? Just because of one moment of passion? No, that's not Tezuka. This wasn't Tezuka. He had changed; his illness altering his mindset.

"Well, I figure that I am already in hell…" With that he pushed back onto the bed. She struggled against him," Don't…" He wasn't listening, his senses clouded by sickness and lust. She pleaded with him to stop, as it was obvious that all he wanted to was to just claim her; take her quickly and nothing else, leaving her broken. Seeing that struggling would only make things worse, Maria decided to appeal to him.

"You can't take everything by force, you have to work a little to get what you want."

There goes that ambiguous nonsense Fuji and Lucia utter at each other everyday. Tezuka relented, keen on the idea of hearing her plead for release, and he hoped to accomplish this dark impulse before his strength was sapped away by the sickness.

And he proceeded to do so successfully. He kissed and touched all her sensitive spots that gave her pleasure, becoming an attentive lover, causing her to quake. He didn't know how he managed it. Due to his weaker state, his boiling point should have been lower and harder to resist. His pride was strengthened when she pleaded with him. He was more than happy to oblige. Their bodies pressed against each other, both forming as much friction as possible before coming to a release.

Tezuka collapsed to the side of his lover, heaving breaths. Maria turned over and draped an arm over his bare shoulders, planting her lips against his sweaty neck.

"You know, Dante made hell based on his own personal experiences."

Tezuka turned his head as Maria continued, "And if you read carefully, you would notice that Virgil mentioned that many could be relinquished from their place in hell."

"How?" he breathed.

"That's left up to the interpretation…" she pillowed her head on her arms, "Since it could be said that the 'Inferno' reflects Dante's life, it is assumed that all the punishments and manifestations were based on his own fears that would permeate his hell."

Tezuka's eyes began to droop as what was left of his strength was drained way and they both fell asleep, exhausted.

Maria's short nap ended about a half an hour later. She awoke thinking about Tezuka's words concerning Dante's 'Inferno' and what he had said about his or her fate. Maybe she did belong in the second circle of hell. She did, after all, make love to a sick man. That had to be a cardinal sin somewhere.

Looking over, she found Tezuka just as he was when they fell asleep. He was still, unusually still. She brought a hand to his forehand feeling his high temperature. Something wasn't right. She went into the medicine cabinet and took out a thermometer. Gently she stuck in his mouth and waited a short while before taking it back out. Her face palled. The read-out read: 42 degrees Celcius. His body was dangerously overheating. It was obvious that in this state he could no longer be helped here and be able to live.

Oishi was walking back to the Tezuka household and was greeted with dreadful flashing lights.

An ambulance was outside the Tezuka house and paramedics could be seen carrying a body on a gurney out of the house. A clearly shaken Maria was standing on the side of the road watching as the paramedics rolled the gurney into the ambulance.

Oishi ran up to Maria, "Maria, what happened?"

She shook her head in despair, "I found him…" She couldn't finish her statement, her shoulders were shaking.

"Maria? What did they say?"

She shuddered and shook her head, "His fever has reached a fatal level. They said they can only do so much."

"He's not…?" Oishi's fear gripped his heart painfully as he watched the ambulance speed away.

***

Tezuka felt himself moving. He heard wheels under him squeak along the floor but they were drowned out by incoherent mumbling over him and echoing wails. He opened his eyes seeing that everything was dim. A doctor with a face mask over his nose and mouth stood behind, pushing the cold gurney he was laying on. Tezuka looked down finding his wrists strapped to the gurney with thick leather restraints.

"_Hey, what's going on?"_ Tezuka called to the doctor weakly. The doctor looked down at him. It was no doctor that he would be comfortable with. It was some sort of bald, faceless monster. The head was contorting, spasming violently and rapidly.

Tezuka looked around all over, struggling to free himself. The red, crusted hallway emmited screams from behind steel doors. Lone gurneys sat with blood-covered sheets over corpses.

"_Wait! Where are you taking me?"_

The deformed doctor responded with moans and grumbles. They were nearing a door at the end of the hallway and Tezuka pleaded once again, _"Hey, let me out! Please!"_

The monster rolled him through a rusted dark operating room, a lone light shining from the center of the ceiling. The gurney was stopped in the center, beside some rusted and dirty surgical tools. The doctor left him there, leaving through the double doors on the other side of the room.

"_Hey! Wait! Where are you going?"_

The doctor was gone and Tezuka was left strapped to the gurney, a copper tinge wafting through his nostrils. He had to find away to get out of there.

A noise of metal slowly dragging, scrapping on the ground could be heard in the hall where the double doors led, slowly creeping towards the door. A silhouette of a hunched figure could be seen through the blurred windows backing away from something. The scrapping stopped, but along came a scream after the figure was picked up. The scream stopped as soon as blood spattered on the dusty window of the doors.

Tezuka pulled vigorously against the restraints, hearing the dragging scrape again. He managed to loosen one restraint enough for him to break his wrist free from the fetter. Quickly he reached over and unbuckled his other wrist and rolled off the metal gurney. His heartbeat steadied when the dragging metal faded away.

He crept up to the double doors, slowly opening one and peaked down the hallway on both sides. The dark hallway flowed in pitch-blackness at both ends. The floor, he saw, was stained with blood, smeared on the ground like drag marks. They led down to the left end of the hallway, so he chose to go down at the other end.

This hallway was like the previous one he was rolled in, rusty, stained, they disgusting copper sting was stronger now. He felt he contracted tetanus and hepatitis just by smelling it.

He found a door with a little light shining from underneath. He pushed the door open and immediately shut it as the screams began to pour out, not wanting to see the source of the screams. At the end of the hall was an elevator that he feared was broken down. Still, he punched the button and surprisingly he heard the gears of the elevator move. He headed inside and pressed the only button that seemed to work: the basement floor.

The elevator doors opened into a darker hallway, all the light tinged with red. As soon as he took one step out into the hallway, he heard moans of something coming towards him. Immediately he pushed the nearest door open and stumbled into another room. He landed on the floor finding it wet and sticky, drenched in smears of blood. He heard a noise inside the room and he silently crawled to the wall divide so as to not be seen. He peaked around the corner that led to the surgeon's washroom. A large monstrosity stood, violently thrusting his pelvis in between the legs of the body of a helpless woman. The monster had the body of a man, it's exposed, muscular torso spattered in drops of blood. A stained, long, black, leather apron hung low, wrapped around his hips and upon a his head was a large sculpted metal helm that looked painful to bear.

The thing held the bare woman down, his large bloodied hand covering much of her face, but a glimpse of her face caused Tezuka's breath to stop and pulse skip. It was the distressed face of his mother. A sound resounded in his brain, the sound of a heart meter, beeping in tune with his own heart beat.

The monster ravaging his mother gave a low grumble, as Tezuka pushed himself forward a little. Tezuka stopped in his tracks, the beeping still resounding in his head. The helmed monster groaned and turned slowly, gripping a humongous rusted and bloodstained scythe. He brushed Tezuka's mother's body off the table like a scrap of meat.

The monster turned towards him, seemingly staring in his direction. The large sculptured helmet completely covered his head and neck. The metal was soldered and sculpted to form a lion's head, the jaws open, and fitted, though heavy, to act as the head of the man, not merely a mask or helmet. The low rumbling from the monster vibrated around Tezuka's person.

Breathing heavily, he stared up at the monster assuming that he could indeed see him. Slowly he got to his feet and stood in plain view of the monster. The beast remained still, unmoving, holding the heavy great scythe out to the side, the tip dragging on the ground.

As Tezuka stared at the lion head, a feeling came over him. He felt like he was familiar with this being, like he knew him. The monster turned away slowly, and dragged his large scythe along behind him leaving through a door on the other side of the room. The rapid beeping in Tezuka's skull slowed to a series of calm beeps as he heard the dragging of metal on the ground fade away.

He clamored to where his mother was discarded and stopped abruptly, a stinging feeling forming in his throat. He choked the bile down, his eyes wandering over his mother's nude, lifeless form. Gently turned her mother's face towards him and looked away, hand over him mouth to stifle a saddened cry. He sniffed back tears and dared to look at her face. Her eyes were open and glazed, lifeless. Glistening trails stained her cheeks where her tears had been shed. He brought a shaky hand over her eyes and closed them for eternal rest, smoothing her hair back for eternal rest and out of her eyes, then he pressed his lips to her forehead lightly. He knew he couldn't stay long. I would only be a matter of time before the lion head thing or something else would be after him. He had to get out of this hospital fast.

His goal was find another elevator or a staircase, anything that would get him to the ground floor. His mental beeping heart monitor started to signal that his heart rate was rising again, as he drew further and further into the basement floor. As he passed the morgue, he heard the dreadful scrapping sound of the lion helmed man dragging his scythe. His heart rate picked up quicker and he sprinted down the dark hall, away from the sound, stumbling over a few gurneys along the way. No matter how fast he went, the sound always seemed to be right behind him. The beeping in his brain went faster and faster. He found himself at the end of the hall, an elevator right ahead. He punched the button, his heart rate at a dangerous pace as the sound of lion head drew closer. He kept pounding the button in hopes to speed up the elevator. The sound stopped and Tezuka turned seeing lion head his large scythe down upon him.

His heart rate flat lined…

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I was busy with finals and transfer applications and work,etc. Not to mention I had a lapse of writer's block. I couldn't think up of any more creepy scenes until a friend literally threw the Silent Hill series at me (Lion Head/Pyramid Head…I just tweaked it). I also put in a little less graphic smut just for kicks, just appease my warped head since all I have been writing were papers on European history and film analysis. I'll try to update faster. The title doesn't come from any particular band or song this time.


	15. He's Tied to a Machine

Disclaimer: The same as always.

Chapter 15: He's Tied to a Machine…

"Excuse me."

Oishi looked up. A doctor stood over him with a clipboard in his hand.

"Were you two with the young man that just came in?"

Oishi and Maria nodded. Oishi didn't like the doctor's quiet tone. It usually meant bad news. Maria squeezed his hand.

"Tezuka-san has an extremely high body temperature and his body cannot cool down. We also determined he had an acute form of tuberculosis and influenza. Usually, the body's defense system can easily combat this, so we took some tests to determine if the cause of this deterioration of the immune system was linked to AIDS…"

'_Oh, Jesus!'_ Maria cried in her head, her heart stopping.

"He tested negative, so another cause of this breakdown could have been prolonged exposure to excessive stress or lack of sleep."

Oishi nodded, "Yes we know, but how is he?"

"Sit back down please."

'_Definitely not good'_ Oishi knew the mannerisms of doctors when they were giving news. If it was nothing doctors entered casually and told the family right away how the patient was doing. When death was involved, the doctor would ramble on about what's wrong with the patient to the point of frustrating the family members. Then the doctor would instruct them to sit down before sitting down himself, and then say those dreadful words.

The doctor sat down across from them rubbing his forehead, "Your friend flat lined a few moments ago…"

"Oh god," Maria gasped but the doctor held up his hand.

"We were able to revitalize his heart, but his pulse is very weak and he would most likely flat line again."

"So what are you saying?"

"Unless he turns a corner within these next few days, he won't make it through the week."

Oishi didn't make a noise; instead he ran a hand over his head. The doctor continued, "I was surprised he made it this long without medical attention, but I am very sorry. We are doing the best we can. Do you know where he can contact his parents?"

Sniffing back tears, Oishi shook his head. Maria was rubbing his back, her eyes watery, she managed to choke out, "We contacted his grandfather; he's flying back up immediately."

The doctor took out a pack of tissues from his coat pocket and handed them to the tennis vice-captain. "I have to get going. I'm truly sorry."

As the doctor left, Maria whispered into her friend's ear, "It's my fault…"

"No. You did the right thing by calling the ambulance," Oishi covered his face with his hands shaking his head back and forth, letting the tears stream down silently.

**

"Ryuzaki-sensei?" Oishi asked in his phone. A girl's voice answered, "No, this is Sakuno. Do you need grandma?"

"Yes, please."

A few moments later, Coach Ryuzaki came on the line, "Hello?"

"Coach, this is Oishi."

"Aah, Oishi."

There was moment of silence as Oishi tried to find words to tell her what happened.

"Oishi? What happened?"

"It's Tezuka…he's…in the hospital."

There was silence over the phone as Ryuzaki inhaled.

"Is he okay?"

"He…" Oishi paused, swallowing. "They don't think he's going make it. He's dying."

He heard her let out a shaky breath, a whimper indicating that tears were watering her eyes.

**

Sakuno handed the phone to her grandmother and got out of her way. But only a moment later her grandmother gave a gasp and covered her mouth in shock. Tears started to frame her wrinkled eyes, and it made Sakuno's stomach clench in fear. She had never seen her grandmother cry before.

Her grandmother hung up the phone, depression oozing from her presence. Sniffing through her tears, she collected herself enough to face her granddaughter with a quivering chin.

"Grandma?"

"Sakuno, that was Oishi from the hospital," Ryuzaki grabbed her coat, "Captain Tezuka is on the very doorstep of death." With that Sakuno's grandmother left the house, leaving her with her heart clamoring in her chest, fear for Seigaku's captain's life prevalent in her own mind.

Sakuno never really had the chance to know captain Tezuka as much as her grandmother or the other regulars, but she perceived him as stern, strong, fair, and direct. The few occurrences she had to talk to him or get close to him she also found him to be kind, considerate, and captivating. Someone who deserved respect, and to be looked up to. She could think of no one else who could be a mentor to someone like Ryoma.

Sakuno held a hand to her throbbing heart. What would happen to everyone if he died?

**

Nanjiro Echizen picked up the annoying phone. "What is it now?" he growled to himself before placing it to his ear. "Hello? Echizen residence."

Ryoma just came downstairs after washing up for dinner. His father barked at him, "Oi! Ryoma!" He held out the phone, "Phone call for ya."

Nanjiro watched as his son answered the phone. Whoever was on the other line gave Ryoma some bad news. Curiously, his son's eyes widened, mouth hung open as he let the phone slip through his fingers, causing it to clatter on the floor.

Samurai Nanjiro thought better than to scold him for his carelessness. Obviously, Ryoma was upset. The speaker on the other line could be heard calling, "Echizen! Echizen!"

Slowly Ryoma bent over and picked up the phone and responded in a slow, soft spoken tone, " Sorry…yes…bye."

Nanjiro leaned over to try to examine his son's expression. "What's wrong boy?"

His son turned away muttering, "Can you get me to the hospital?"

"What for?"

"Just get me there?"

The ride in the truck was a silent one. Nanjiro occasionally glanced over at his son, who was staring out the window, solemn and blank.

Nanjiro snorted through his nose, "What is the matter? Get your girlfriend pregnant or something?"

Embittered, Ryoma spat, "You don't know anything."

"You're right. I don't. Now why don't you tell me what you're so pissy about so at the very least I can be educated."

"My tennis captain…is in the hospital. The teammate that called said that he will most likely die within the next few days."

"You're captain? He's a very dominating player."

Ryoma just nodded.

"What was his name again?" Nanjiro asked not taking his eyes off the road.

"Kunimitsu…Tezuka."

The brakes were slammed down, screeching along the road. Both of them jerked forward at the sudden stop.

"What? Did you just say 'Tezuka'?" Nanjiro's knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

"Yeah."

Nanjiro blinked, not entirely sure what to think of it. He had seen this boy before, should he have noticed this? The vague glimpses of the tall young man was not enough to make the connection click. If there was connection; it could all be coincidental. Still he turned to his son, "Ryoma, there's something—"

The car behind them gave a sharp honk.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, pushing the gas pedal.

Ryoma still stared at his father curious about his behavior, "What was that?"

"Hmm…? Oh! Nothing. Just forget it."

**

All of the teammates stood over the casket, the sky cloudy but no rain yet. Insense was burned around it and petals were littered all over the mahogany casket. Oishi looked over to his side; Coach Ryuzaki could barely hold back her tears. Kabaji stood next to Atobe, both dressed in black suits. Atobe's face was full of remorse, his hand covering his mouth to hide his trembling lips.

The funderal was quiet as they stared down at the casket listening to the sutra, but Oishi wasn't paying attention to the words. He ran over his memories with the young man in the casket. They've known each other for what seemed to be forever. He was a boy to look up to from the very beginning, an uncanny wisdom in those keen eyes. His physical and mental strength far exceeded anyone he knew. No doubt that, in the future, he would've become a fine man.

But he was stopped short of achieving any grand dream he was capable of.

Fate was too cruel to take away his life, and do those things to him that he clearly did not deserve. But, maybe, with how Tezuka's life was doing, Fate may have held mercy on him, ending his invisible suffering.

Fuji nudged Oishi, and he stepped forward, a small bundle in his arms. Oishi leaned over the casket and unfolded the bundle, laying Tezuka's Seigaku jersey neatly over the casket, quietly running his fingers along the polished wood, heart aching at the notion that he would never see him again. As he backed away, four men lifted the casket up and onto the carriage. Tears were shed as the attendees watched as the casket moved down the path to the crematorium. They whispered their final goodbyes.

The end?


	16. the Kind That Make You Breathe

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT, only crack.

Chapter 16: …the Kind That Make You Breathe

Oishi awoke, aching from lying on the hospital bench. He rubbed his head trying to shake away the contents of his dream out of his mind. He found Eiji and Fuji staring down at him in concern.

"Thank you for coming," Oishi responded with a yawn.

"We came as soon as we heard. Kawamura is going to pick up Momo and Inui and Kaidoh just called me to confirm what's going on."

Eiji jumped forward, "Is it true? Is captain Tezuka really going to…"

"Oishi," the tired old voice of Ryuzaki-sensei. She approached the vice captain from behind Fuji and Eiji, "What happened?"

"I can't say much. A friend of mine was staying with me to help with Tezuka. She found him with the highest temperature a human can have before the body shuts down completely. He already had a high temperature but medical attention was needed immediately once his body reached this critical point. She did the right thing to call an ambulance."

"I take it, though, it may have been too late," Fuji said sadly.

"That's what the doctor says."

"Does his grandfather know?"

"Yeah, we called him almost immediately."

"What about his mother?"

The silence revealed that Ms. Tezuka did not know that her son was wheeled into an emergency room of the same hospital she was in. Quietly, Oishi remembered the time when Tezuka was here, waiting for the news of his mother's condition. The turn of events was too scary. He could only imagine how Tezuka's mother would react to this twist of fate.

"I'm…afraid to tell her. The shock may be too much in her weak state."

"Sensible, Oishi," Ryuzaki-sensei whispered aloud, "But don't you think she has a right to know? Now only family members can see him."

"I think we should wait until Hadakuru-san comes back."

They heard footsteps coming towards them; they turned facing Echizen junior and senior, both approaching the anxious and depressed group of young men and one older woman.

"Echizen?" Oishi was surprised to see the youngest Seigaku tennis member here and looking so concerned.

"Senpais…" he didn't finish his question. Fuji however could see through him, "Tezuka's still in critical condition."

Ryoma was relieved that Tezuka wasn't gone yet, but his condition struck him with fear. Judging by the way the team was hanging around, they were waiting for a doctor's update.

Inui, Kaidoh, Momo, and Kawamura made it to the hospital and were forced to wait with the rest of the team. A majority of them were taken out of relatives' houses or of the like when they heard the news. Oishi didn't mean to pull them at inconvenient moments. It was heart-warming though to see them here at such a critical moment.

Oishi did his best to inform everyone of the events as the team tried to sit and wait for news from the doctor. The doctor came in to the waiting room, eyes wide at seeing the large group of students waiting for news of Tezuka.

"Are you all here for Kunimitsu Tezuka?"

"Yes."

The doctor sighed inaudibly, "Is his family here?"

Oishi stood up, "Sensei, it could still be a while before his grandfather arrives. He may arrive by tomorrow afternoon."

"And there aren't any other family members?"

"Well, his mother actually is in this hospital. She's been very ill as well. I don't think his mother is well enough to bear the news yet."

"I understand. I suggest you all come back tomorrow when the grandfather arrives. I can only let you see him after I run a few things with immediate family members."

Oishi nodded and rubbed his tired eyes, before the team dispersed hoping to come back tomorrow.

**

Akira Hadakuru arrived back in Tokyo and called the Oishi household for their first son. Oishi gave him an update and said he would meet him at the hospital. As soon as he arrived at the hospital, a doctor quickly came up to him and rushed him into the ICU.

"You can go in for only a few minutes; the doctors need to attend to him."

Hadakuru's dislike for hospitals was rekindled; the feeling of claustrophobia filling him as he entered the room cramped with machines used to keep his grandson alive. He didn't think he could stand looking at this mess for long and still he just stood in place, the sound of the whirring and beeping of the machines pumping into his brain. He had enough of staring at the pathetic remnants of Kunimitsu and made an about-face and left the ICU.

"Hadakuru-san," young Oishi approached the old police officer, not liking the shocked look on his face.

"Thank you…for helping," Hadakuru responded.

Oishi said in a careful tone, "Should we tell Mrs. Tezuka?"

The older man let out a long sigh, "We should but it may not be the best idea. We might as well tell her now and let her see him just in case he…"

"I understand."

Both knew that this was a risky move, given the condition of Ayane Tezuka. But she would be even more devastated if her only son died without her seeing one last time. Hadakuru had to admit that Ayane Tezuka looked a lot healthier than she did before, but she still seemed more fragile and delicate. A small smile reached the corners of Hadakuru's lips at the knowledge that at least she would most likely make it.

"Dad, Oishi-kun, this is a surprise. Is there something wrong?"

Oishi's jaw clenched and Hadakuru inhaled. Ayane knew. It was obvious by her tone that she knew that their presence brought on bad news.

Hadakuru puffed out the breath that he had been holding, "Ayane, Kunimitsu was admitted into this hospital yesterday. I only arrived this afternoon."

She shut her mouth and went silent.

"Do you think you should see him?"

She nodded, "I want to see him."

Oishi and Hadakuru had to guide Ayane along, because her body was still feeble.

Oishi had to swallow a gasp once he entered the ICU. He didn't recognize his captain laying there at first. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and his skin was dehydrated, grayish, lifeless. The heart monitor only beeped about every two seconds showing his slow and weak heartbeat. For a moment Oishi thought he had no heartbeat. He did indeed looked dead. Oishi glanced over at Tezuka's mother. She was staring at the body, no emotion of her face.

Hadakuru addressed his daughter, "Ayane?"

"That's not my son," she whispered.

"What?"

She started to shake and shook her head, "That can't be him. That's not my son."

"Ayane, I'm sorry…" Hadakuru brought a hand to her shoulder, but she shrugged it off violently, "No! That's not my son! No!"

Then she broke down, tears pouring down her face as she faced reality. She flung herself onto the bed and her father moved immediately to restrain her distraught for.

"My god! Kunimitsu! My son!" she bawled wrapping her arms around the shoulder of Kunimitsu clinging to him. Hadakuru pried her off of his grandson's body. Ayane buried her face into her father's chest letting her tears run. Oishi found the sight so sad beyond his belief, seeing the desperation in this woman. He swallowed his own tears and left the family alone.

It was about an hour later when he and his teammates were given clear to observe Tezuka through the window of the ICU while a few of the doctors attended to him. The team was silent, most shocked at seeing their captain in such a state. They couldn't stay long. There was nothing they could do and feeling helpless was just a horrible situation that anyone could endure.

Even so, as Oishi left the hospital he found Maria waiting outside gnawing on her nails looking nervous and a little guilty.

"Maria-chan?"

"Oishi," she said softly not looking him in the eye, "I need to talk to you privately. Away from here."

They went to a small malt shop, hoping a shake would calm their nerves. Oishi cleared his throat, "What is you wanted to talk about."

She swallowed, "I think I'm the one who put him in the hospital."

"Maria-chan…"

"No wait. Before his temperature rose…to that…level. I did something to Tezuka that may have caused his temperature to rise."

He looked wary, "What, exactly, did you do?"

She paused, inhaling, "I had sex with him."

Oishi coughed into his shake, "You did what?!"

"Look I'm sorry…"

"How? How did that happen?"

"I'm not sure. It just sorta happened."

Oishi sighed, not sure if he wanted to hear the details.

"I didn't force him to do it. In fact he more or less instigated it. But…I…I should've stopped him. I should've known that that kind of activity with a sick man would've made things worse."

Oishi shook his head, "As much as I can't say I like what you did, if it will make you feel better, I can say that I have never heard of anyone dying from having sex."

She didn't seem to be feeling better.

"Tezuka wasn't going to get any better. That was obvious. What you did, no matter how odd it was, had nothing to do with his condition. There's nothing you should feel guilty about."

'_If he died, I'm sure he enjoyed his last moments._' Oishi thought, turning a slight shade of red.

"Thanks Oishi."

"Does it at least feel better to get that off your chest?"

"Yes. It does."

Oishi lifted his lips in a smile, "Are you…are you in love with him?"

Maria stirred her shake and shook her head, "No. I don't think so. Remember, where I come from they throw the word 'love' out like rice at a wedding. It's hard to say what I feel. I guess I care for him, but I wouldn't think I would be in love with him."

"I guess I understand that," Oishi sighed.

**

A doctor wandered through the ICU hall flipping through his charts when he neared Kunimitsu Tezuka's room. He sighed thinking about how unpleasant it was to see such a young man in this state. It was unfortunate, but it wasn't uncommon. But most boys his age in the ICU were usually victims of gang violence, not disease. The strange thing was that by all accounts he was a perfectly healthy young man: active, clean, and not involved in dangerous activity. The only flaw was an injury to his arm, but nothing that would land him in ICU. He passed by the ICU's window, but something caught his eye. He saw a strange figure; a dark-cloaked figure bending over the patient.

The doctor frantically pounded on the glass the get the figure's attention. "Hey, you can't be there!"

The figure didn't acknowledge him. The doctor tucked the clipboard under his arm and rushed to the door. He opened it, but no one was there. The figure disappeared. Confused, the doctor looked around for any signs of anyone having been there. He turned to leave, a little wary, but he stopped in his tracks. The nearly nonexistent beep of Tezuka's heart monitor started to beep a little faster and stronger. The doctor was speechless.

A/N: Nope he's not dead. But it was fun to have that as a cliffhanger. And no Tezuka's definitely not out of the woods yet. I need to push him a little further. The titles of this and the last chapter was a lyric from Hurt's "World Ain't Right."


	17. If I Was Your Vampire

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT or anything associated with it.

Chapter 17: If I was Your Vampire

It shocked everyone when they received the phone call. Oishi thought he nearly had a heart attack himself, Fuji almost fainted (Momo and Eiji did). Never had anyone felt more relieved, even though it would be a few days before Tezuka would be able to speak with them.

When they did visit him, he was almost unrecognizable, his skin still grey and several days' growth of stubble could be seen because of his dehydrated skin. A breathing tube was attached to his nose and several wires connected from machines to his chest and arms. The nurses stacked several pillows behind his head and back to support him in an upright position that he may have been too weak to achieve on his own.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been through hell and back," was his reply that the team took as light- hearted. They had no idea…

"We're just glad you're alive," was Fuji's response that came out as a relieved breath.

"Yeah, the doctors made us believe that you were going to die," Eiji said, trying hard to hide the tears in his eyes.

"We don't know what we've would've done without you," Momo beamed down at his captain.

Kawamura nodded, "Yeah, you're our captain. Seigaku's pillar of support."

Tezuka's eyes became distant, like he was thinking hard about something, "Do any of you know how to build a house?"

They all looked at each other, "Er, no."

"In the basic design of a building you have several pillars or beams surrounding the outer edge that gives the basic construct of the house. And then you have a beam at the center of gravity to keep the ceiling from caving in. Without that beam you risk the chance of having everything crumble. But more importantly, without the other beams there can be no house even with the support beam." Tezuka scanned his team. "The house needs the other pillars in order to function at all. This team needs you all more than it needs me. Without you all, there is no point to a team or a Seigaku Pillar…I hope you realize that."

As heartfelt as his soliloquy was, Fuji's brow furrowed in concern, "Tezuka, are you…"

"I haven't been an efficient captain recently, and I still have some…things going on that may take me a while to resume normality. Don't think you need me to be your greatest when we start competition."

Coach Ryuzaki peered in, "The doctors want to see him in a few minutes so we should clear out."

"Alright," most said in unison.

"I hope you get well soon."

"Yeah, we wanna see your tennis again."

The team left his room but Coach Ryuzaki stayed, "I heard your little speech. Quite profound if you ask me."

"I hope it got to them."

Ryuzaki frowned and sighed, "Tezuka, you aren't thinking of resigning, are you?"

He didn't look directly at her, "I've thought about it."

Ryuzaki pulled up a chair and sat down by his bed, "It's your decision, though I wouldn't say your smartest one."

"I rather have them get used to not having me around than me suddenly disappear."

"Like you did with Germany?" she shot back, "The way you sounded, it was like you were going to quit tennis forever."

He didn't respond.

"Look it's okay to have a break and relax every now and then. No one blames you for that. I don't think that this leave of absence should warrant you to throw away your career and your dream."

He shook his head, "Coach I'm sick, my body is weak and probably can't take as much abuse it used to. What's more is that I sense that my mind is deteriorating. I can't be sure that I would be able to continue on with my mentality. I can't use Hyakuren, Saiki Kanpatsu, or Teni Muho no Kiwami with my state of mind right now."

Tezuka had finally achieved Teni Muho no Kiwami a few years ago while facing against Atobe once again. But he made the risk of slipping into some painful childhood memories. He diverged that risk by drawing upon his struggles through his tennis career, only a few memories from fleeting events in his childhood that he quickly shut away thereafter. Teni Muho was dangerous to someone like him.

Ryuzaki was clearly concerned. He wasn't out of the woods yet and from the way he spoke he ran the risk of sinking further into the woods.

"Maybe skill-wise you think that the team doesn't need you," Ryuzaki said, "They still respect you and look up to you. They look for something to strive for."

"They need to focus their attention elsewhere. Look at Echizen, he has beaten me and Japan's greatest tennis player, he doesn't need me to look to."

"I wouldn't say that. Do you see him look at you? He still chases after you. He respects you more than he does his own father. He's told me that once. You underestimate yourself. You are clearly capable of greater things that the tennis world could ever hope to imagine, and you never cease to amaze me or those pros that watch you guys play."

Tezuka ran his hands over his eyes groaning and breathing in through the air tube. Ryuzaki's voice became low, "But I also know you think about things carefully before you make a decision. So is this final?"

He shook his head, "You'll be happy to know that I haven't made it final, but I'm pretty sure about it."

"Please think it over a little longer," she patted his hand and stood to leave. He nestled his head back and let rest take him over.

***

Tezuka's recovery was somewhat quick. After three days of being pumped full of morphine and antibiotics they gave him clear to leave. He was clear to leave before his mother. But her illness was more prolonged and made him realize that it only took one moment for your life to be lost. The doctors encouraged him to rest for the next few days while taking a pharmacy's worth of medicine. That was all he could do. His body was still weak and he could barely walk. Unfortunately he couldn't do such a thing as rest. Closing his eyes meant sinking into some horrible abyss that felt all too real to be just dreams.

The Invitational was continuing that weekend and Tezuka thought that maybe he needed to get out of the house and see it with his teammates. His health had improved and he seemed to somewhat back to normal, except for the obvious signs that he still wasn't sleeping. Oishi warned him that the lack of sleep was what got him to the hospital in the first place. Tezuka couldn't agree more, but it wasn't that simple.

Nevertheless watching the matches was a little relieving, like everything would be okay. Just seeing his teammates laugh and joke while they watched was enough to make the weight lift from his chest. After going through all that hell just a moment as small as this was worth it.

But after the matches while they were heading home was a different story. The team was walking on a pathway past a few courts out of the park. Up the sidewalk was the Egyptian team discussing amongst themselves. They weren't bothering anybody until Tezuka spotted the hooded player glancing over at him.

"I can feel you slipping. You'll end up the same way as your mother…"

Tezuka could practically hear him smirking and he snapped. How would he know about his mother? Maybe the mere sight of him caused him to let loose, but it caught everyone by surprise.

He charged at the hooded man, anger and rage pumping through his veins, as he tackled him to the ground. He grabbed the racket the man had dropped and rose it over his head, "Why can't you just leave me alone!!" He whacked the man in the side of the face with the racket.

"Tezuka!!"

He grabbed the man by the his clothes, prepared to hit him another time, when that same voice spoke only it wasn't from the man he was holding.

"Kindly get your paws off my teammate."

Tezuka looked finding the hooded man standing there arms folded. But if he was there, then who was…?

He looked down and to his shock it wasn't the hooded man he swore he attacked, instead it was Chigaru without his facecloth, side of his face bruised. He felt his raised arm with the racket seize up as Momo bodily stopped him from doing anything else as he hung onto his arm.

"What are thinking, Captain!!" Oishi and Momo pushed him to a nearby tree pinning him there.

Tezuka looked over at his victim. Slowly he stood rubbing the side of his face. Ryuzaki-sensei was trying to resolve the situation, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what got into him."

Heru answered for his teammate with a smile, "It's no problem, ma'am. Clearly he is troubled by our presence."

Oishi got Tezuka's attention, "Tezuka, what the hell is going on! You just attacked a man for no reason!"

He couldn't answer, he was confused. He had no idea what came over him, nor did he have any idea how he could've locked on one guy and find out he attacked another.

"Are you okay?" Oishi's tone softened, "I think you need help."

Tezuka wrenched himself out of Oishi's grasp, facing the Egyptian team. He bowed in apology, "I apologize for my actions. It was out of line." Tezuka added in a softer tone, "I mistook you for someone else."

***

Uneasy, that night Tezuka returned home deeply disturbed, and after drowning himself in the medication that was prescribed for him he went to bed and allowed himself to fall asleep…

_6 a.m. Christmas morning._

_No shadows,_

_No reflections here._

_Lying cheek to cheek_

_In your cold embrace._

He looked over at his clock: 6:00. Growling and rubbing his head he lifted himself out of bed. He walked down the hall to his mother's bedroom.

_So soft and so tragic_

_As a slaughterhouse._

_You press the knife_

_Against your heart._

_And say that,_

_"I love you, so much you must kill me now."_

He found himself in the bedroom. It was empty which made sense because his mother wasn't home from the hospital yet.

_I love you_

_So much_

_You must kill me now._

The room he was in suddenly changed to rusted and dirty walls and then he found himself in a tomb, the hooded man standing on a platform, his back facing Tezuka. He then turned, showing a shining dagger held tightly into his fist. The hooded man quite suddenly, with a smirk on his face, brought the dagger over and slit his own throat.

_If I was your vampire,_

_Certain as the moon,_

_Instead of killing time,_

_We'll have each other_

_Until the sun._

_If I was your vampire,_

_Death waits for no one._

_Hold my hands_

_Across your face,_

_Because I think_

_Our time has come._

He next found himself walking through a dungeon, through the bars showed the tortured remains of his teammates. Fuji was strung upside-down, slashes across his torso, eyes and mouth wired shut. Echizen was lying on the floor, the skin of his arms peeled off and two large bolts through his eye sockets. Eiji and Oishi were sitting back to back, attached to each other by the stitched skin of their backs. Ahead, Kaidoh, Inui, Momo, and Kawamura were all impaled on steel crosses.

Swallowing, Tezuka noticed he was holding in his bloody hands a hammer and a stake.

_Digging your smile apart_

_With my spade tongue._

_The hole is where the heart is._

_We built this tomb together,_

_And I won't fill it alone._

_Beyond the pale_

_Everything is black_

_No turning back._

He gasped in air as he found himself sitting up in an opened sarcophagus. He brought a hand up to his beating chest only to find a gaping hole where his heart should have been. Looking up, several men wearing long embroidered loin cloths resembling kilts surrounded him and lifted him out…

_If I was your vampire,_

_Certain as the moon,_

_Instead of killing time,_

_We'll have each other_

_Until the sun._

_If I was your vampire,_

_Death waits for no one._

_Hold my hands_

_Across your face,_

_Because I think_

_Our time has come._

Tezuka lay on a stone slab, nude save for a small cloth draped over his more private area. He couldn't move and could only watch as the men; faceless as they wore golden masks, bustled calmly around him carefully placing tools and basins of liquid beside his body. Suddenly his vision was blocked as a mask was placed over his own face and nailed to his head.

_Blood-stained sheets_

_In the shape of your heart,_

_This is where it starts..._

_Blood-stained sheets_

_In the shape of your heart,_

_This is where it starts._

_This is where it will end._

_Here comes the moon again._

He clutched his sheets, not entirely sure if the stains on them were from him or even real.

_6:19 and I know I'm ready_

_Drive me off the mountain._

_You'll burn,_

_I'll eat your ashes._

_The impossible wheels seducing_

_Our corpse._

He jerked awake once again, glancing at the clock. He grew concerned. It was 6:19 and it was still dark. He got out of bed putting on his glasses, but stopped as he thought something was beyond his closed door. He crept forward, eyeing his door with curiosity. Suddenly his door burst open and a dark, winged, creature flew towards him, gripping his shoulders and dragging him out, crashing through the window.

_If I was your vampire,_

_Certain as the moon,_

_Instead of killing time,_

_We'll have each other_

_Until the sun._

_If I was your vampire,_

_Death waits for no one._

_Hold my hands_

_Across your face,_

_Because I think_

_Our time has come._

He was dropped in a large pool of water and he struggled to make his way to the surface. He could see the blurred for of the Mau above the surface, meowing as he finally got to the surface. He breathed for air, splashing as he forced himself above the water. Then he was pulled under...

_Beyond the pale_

_Everything is black_

_No turning back._

_Beyond the pale_

_Everything is black_

_No turning back._

He landed on solid ground and immediately ducked as a large scythe was swung at his head. He glanced up, face to face with Lion Head. His chest heaved in panic. This monster was not set to toy with him; he wanted blood. His blood.

_This is where it starts._

_This is where it will end._

_Here comes the moon again._

_This is where it starts._

_This is where it will end._

_Here comes the moon again._

Lion head swung his scythe again and Tezuka dodged and rolled. Lion head then stood up straight, planting his scythe into the ground. Tezuka wondered if he had given up. Lion head brought his large hands to his helm, gripping it tight. Slowly he lifted the helm, blood pouring from the helmet onto his chest. Underneath Lion head's painful helmet was someone Tezuka knew. It revealed himself. It was he that was Lion head. Horror struck his heart as he remembered the first time he encountered Lion head. And it was he who actually did those things.

_Here comes the moon again_

_Here comes the moon again_

In the morning, Hadakuru opened his grandson's bedroom door to find a disturbing sight. Kunimitsu was huddled next to his wall gripping his tennis racket, head down, muttering and mumbling as he rocked in place.

A/N: I little song chapter with "If I Was Your Vampire" by Marilyn Manson. Tezuka has finally lost it. Let's see if he'll get out of this one. But he's pretty deep now.


	18. 9 Crimes

Disclaimer: same as usual

Chapter 18: 9 Crimes

Morning practice left the Seigaku team panicked. Their captain wasn't there, but they resumed practice. Coach Ryuzaki was late and that's when Oishi and the rest of the team approached her with quizzical faces.

"Sensei, Tezuka isn't here yet."

"And he won't be," Ryuzaki responded.

"What?"

She heaved in a breath, "Last night he was committed…"

"Committed? To what?" Eiji asked scratching his head.

"He was sent to an institution."

"An institution for what?"

Frustrated, Oishi yelled, "C'mon Eiji! A mental institution!"

Silence gripped the young tennis team as realization set in. Their captain finally cracked. Somehow it should have been anticipated, especially after he attacked that player. Still, it came as a shock.

"His grandfather called me this morning after he was safely taken away."

Biting back tears, Fuji asked in an unusually serious tone, "Will he…will he ever be able to come back?"

Ryuzaki shrugged, her tone soft in dismay, "His grandfather didn't tell me what happened so I cannot be a judge whether he can come back to normal society or not."

She continued, "Nevertheless, we shall continue to practice, and now Oishi is captain. Let's not have all of Tezuka's work go to waste by slouching. Get going!"

The regulars ran back onto the court leaving Oishi facing Ryuzaki.

"Oishi," she began, "don't treat this as a temporary arrangement. Even if Tezuka can regain his wits before the season starts, it is possible that he won't play tennis again."

Oishi's brow furrowed, "So he wanted to quit."

Ryuzaki nodded.

****

Tezuka was surrounded by plain walls. He knew where he was and he knew why he was here. He had been here for a week with little human contact. He ran his hands through his hair that had gone longer since he neglected to tame or cut it since before his time in the hospital.

His body was weak with fatigue, because he hadn't slept in ages. It was hard to sleep when you have a sinister voice gnawing in your head or seeing demons jump on you from shadows and spotting that horrid robed man out of the corner of your eye. He was trapped, forced to live in a hell that he could not escape from.

The door to his room opened and a man in a white uniform entered, "Tezuka. Come on. Let's go see a doctor."

The man led him down the halls passing several patients. He tried to avoid any eye contact with them, and they usually did the same. In their own little world. Usually men and women like the man escorting him were with them trying to get them to do activities or to just amuse them.

The man opened a door to a small bare room with a table and two chairs in the middle, and a wide glass mirror on the wall near the table. The man led him to the chair, "Dr. Shigashi will be here in just a minute. Just take a seat."

Tezuka obeyed and the man left, so he was alone. He took a long look at his bare surroundings, just to occupy his disturbed mind. The door opened and a blond good-looking woman in a white lab coat entered.

"Kunimitsu," she said sitting down in a chair across the table from him, "I'm Dr. Julia Shigashi. I apologize it took me so long to meet you."

Tezuka didn't respond. She opened her folder and took out a notepad and pen, "I'd like to have a talk with you just to see if we can't make you better. I'm just going to ask you a few questions first. Do you know why you are here?"

He nodded, but didn't open his mouth.

"Your grandfather tells me that you have been acting strange lately. Up at odd hours of the night, not getting enough sleep. Can you explain that?"

"Nightmares," he responded bluntly. The doctor rubbed her brow clearly wanting more than a one-word answer.

"Kunimitsu," she heaved a sigh, "I want to help you. I really do. I think you are just a young man caught up in the muddle of things and has no one he thinks he can turn to. But if I'm to help you I have to have a little more to go on in your explanations. Can you describe your experiences more clearly for me?"

She smiled showing her bleach-white teeth and he started to rub his temples to try to ease the hissing in his head.

"Have these nightmares been going on before or after you started taking medication?"

"Before. They started around the beginning of last month."

Dr. Shigashi wrote something down in her notepad, "Can you think of anything that may have triggered these nightmares."

Tezuka started rubbing his hands along his thighs as he vigorously shook his head, "It may have been a lot of things. I was under stress, I guess, but nothing that I can single out."

That was a half lie. It was true he hadn't had gotten much sleep before the Invitational began and that he was unwell, but the visions explicitly started upon the sight of the Egyptian man.

"Have they gotten increasingly worse since then?"

He nodded, "It started with a few nightmares then the events grew increasingly worse."

"Like what?"

Tezuka swallowed trying to find words, "They first began as scenes from Dante's Inferno, but they were altered so it was hard to predict what would come next. The first one was of me running in the woods, the leopard, wolf, and lion chasing me." He was shaking slightly at this point, "Only the lion got to me and it…bit down on my throat. I woke up and I felt a burning on my neck, like it really took out my throat."

She took notes her brow furrowing a little, "And that was the first dream?"

"Yes."

"Where you reading Dante's Inferno at the time?"

Tezuka nodded, "But at some point the nightmares became occurrences that I haven't read yet. I only finished the book by the end of the month."

"So you were dreaming events of the book that you haven't read yet?"

"Yes," he said plainly. "The nightmares eventually stopped reflecting the Inferno. But it always resulted in the same. I'd wake up feeling that everything that went on, happened."

"And because of these nightmares you try not to go to sleep."

"Correct."

She scribbled something in her pad and looked off in the distance trying to think up of another question. Tezuka hoped she was almost finished.

"Aside from your dreams, have you been experiencing anything else? Hallucinations? Visions? Voices? Anything of the like?"

Tezuka nodded, "All three."

"Have these voices told you to harm yourself or someone else?"

"No, they are usually incoherent."

"Have you ever thought of harming yourself or someone else?"

Instinctively he shook his head. He never thought of anything like that. They just…happened. It wasn't like he sat in front of a knife debating on whether to cut his wrists or wandering the streets looking for someone to punch. Dr. Shigashi cleared her throat, "What happened the time you attacked the man the day before you were sent here? What set you off?"

Damn. He knew that would be brought up. How could he explain this? He clenched his hands on the table, as he began, "I didn't mean to harm that man."

"Could you tell me what went through your mind when that happened?"

"When I charged at the man, he wasn't who I thought he was. I thought it was this figure that's been…following me…plaguing me ever since I started having these nightmares. He said something about my mother that was somewhat insulting and I wanted him to just…leave me alone."

Tezuka leaned forward, "When I tackled him and hit him with the racket, I was looking at that same guy. Only I look up and the guy is standing there…to the side and under me was someone else. It was like he switched places with another. Believe me I was just as horrified at what had happened as any other."

"The bottom line is: you attacked him with intent to hurt regardless if he was this man you see or not."

Tezuka's eyes looked down at the table, not wanting to make eye contact with the doctor, "After all he has put me through, I would've done anything just to get him to leave me alone."

"This man you speak of…does he appear only in your dreams or his someone you know…?"

"He is a tennis player from Egypt that I had the misfortune to encounter at the Invitational. Ever since then he has haunted my dreams, my hallucinations, my very life. It's hard to tell if they are two separate entities and one just happens to poison my mind, but lately he has been…everywhere."

Tezuka immediately froze as he felt a presence behind him, he tried to act normal as if nothing was there, hoping it would just go away.

"Is he here now," the doctor asked cautiously. Slowly, Tezuka turned his head spotting the wall behind him with minimal movement. He slowly turned his head back to face the doctor and gave a short panicked answer, "Yes."

Dr. Shigashi had to resist the urge to scoot back, concern welling in her stomach. Her gaze flicked over to the mirror, but she immediately returned to her work having an awful feeling that a ghost may be in the room.

"Why haven't you told your family about these problems?"

"No, I didn't want to worry them. They have enough to worry about. My mother was too sick to have my problems to be concerned about."

"You really care about them don't you?"

Tezuka left that unanswered since it was quite obvious.

She continued on, "You have yet to mention your father. What about him?"

Tezuka remained silent avoiding eye contact. He began to show signs of being uncomfortable and started shifting in his seat.

"Kunimitsu? Can you tell me about him?"

He shook his head and his voice rose, "Can we please not talk about him."

Shigashi tried to calm him down, "Okay, okay. It's okay Kunimitsu, we don't have to talk about him if you don't want to."

He rested his forehead against his clenched fists as the doctor vigorously wrote something down. As much as he could tell her about his mental misfits, he never wanted to acknowledge that man's existence. Once the doctor was sure Tezuka was calm enough, she asked another question.

"How is your relationship with your mother?"

"I like to think of myself as a dutiful and attentive son. She took care of me through some hard times and I see it as my duty to return the favor."

"Do you see it as a duty to protect her?"

"Definitely. My grandfather has not been around much to help her. He usually works at the police academy to pay for food. So it is up to me to be there for her."

"How close is this relationship?"

"Close. I guess."

"Kunimitsu, at any point has your mother touched you…in any way inappropriate, has she?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She couldn't think that he had…with his mother? That's just sick. He loved her, but not in that way. But why would Dr. Shigashi ask this?

"I am switching psychologies right now so I can narrow things down," she explained. "Have you ever touched her in a sexual manner or thought about doing such things. Or have you dreamt about doing anything like that?"

He stopped himself from answering right away. He let his eyes fall downward as he tried to find words to explain. Could he elect not to tell her? Memories of those dreams still plagued his mind and he was thankful that he hadn't seen her since those dreams.

"I'm not here to judge, Kunimitsu. Just tell me about it."

Tezuka nodded, "Yeah. But in the dream I didn't realize it was me. My head was covered by some sort of helmet." He paused for a moment trying to gather the gall to say such things.

"You saw a masked a version of yourself being intimate with your mother."

He shook his head, "The things I saw myself do to her weren't consensual on her part…"

He brought his hand to his mouth to stifle the bile that formed at his throat.

"Rape?"

He nodded as she wrote something down. "After that nightmare I had another in which that same figure was revealed to be me."

"I see."

For the first time Tezuka's eyes stared directly into Shigashi's, and she saw that his eyes were ridden with terror, guilt, and a desperate need to finish reliving such horrors. Which was understandable. Still she wasn't finished. Dr. Shigashi wanted to get as much information as possible so she could find a way to help this young man.

"Are you sexually active?"

"What do you mean by active?"

"Have you ever had sex before, to start out with?"

"Yes."

"How often?"

"I've only done it twice."

"Does your mother or grandfather know that you have had intercourse?"

"Not that I know of."

"Do you find yourself more aggressive during intercourse?"

"I don't think so. Not violent I guess."

"In general you aren't very aggressive."

Tezuka nodded, "I don't consider myself so."

She wrote her last note down with a flourish marking that this session was nearing an end. "You did very well Kunimitsu. You should be very proud. Not many would want to relive their terrors. And I will guarantee you that I will do all I can to help you."

Tezuka stood feeling a huge weight lift from his chest as he did. Maybe there was some benefit to this. Yet he still felt like an abnormality to the human race. Nevertheless, he bowed, "Thank you for listening, sensei."

"You are more than welcome. Wait here for a moment. Kenshiro will come to get you in a moment."

Dr. Shigashi left through the door and immediately took few turns down the hall into a small room where Dr. Yamato was observing Kunimitsu Tezuka through the two-way mirror. The older man with thick black-rimmed glasses pushed said glasses up his nose, "That was somewhat productive."

"A healthy young man, tennis star, and top student reduced to this. It is a sad sight," she flipped through her notes, "Not aggressive to our knowledge, he might have a minor Oedipal complex coming out of a desire to protect his mother and family. It is obvious that he knows that his hallucinations and visions are not normal. "

"What about his father? Do you think there is something behind his reluctance to talk about him?"

"I think so. His mother was institutionalized here several years ago after the burden of tremendous stress."

"Talk to the mother. Find out more about his father."

She nodded while Dr. Yamato continued, "Meanwhile we'll get to the bottom of these nightmares."

****

"Ayane Tezuka," Dr. Shigashi approached the nervous looking woman waiting in the lobby, she held out her hand, "I'm Dr. Julia Shigashi. Your son's psychiatrist."

Ms. Tezuka took her hand, "Nice to meet you doctor. Can you tell me how my son is doing?"

The doctor sighed, "Kunimitsu is very tired and on edge. But by no means harmful. First ma'am I have some questions for you, just to get a sense on certain aspects of his life that he has not yet discussed with me. Please follow me into my office."

The distraught mother who herself just came out of the hospital herself followed the young doctor into a cozy office at the far end of the institution. Ayane had memories flood through her as she began to see the familiar halls of the same institution she was sent to more than a decade ago.

Shigashi motioned for her to sit in a plush chair and she took the opposite one.

"Ms. Tezuka, some of these questions are delicate in nature, but do not be offended. Most of these are mandatory or were concerns that occurred."

"Alright," Ms. Tezuka folded her hands in her lap.

"Some questions came up about his father. One major question that I would like to ask is: what was Kunimitsu's relationship with his father?"

Ayane tried to recall how her son reacted around her husband. Kunimitsu would follow him like a duckling at parks or whenever they went out. He had a curiosity about his father, always silently interested. His father on the other hand wasn't indifferent to Kunimitsu, but he didn't coddle him either. Tora Tezuka often took his son out to hike in national parks on camping trips, teaching their son through nature and surroundings, while little Kunimitsu obediently followed him close behind.

"His father, Tora, wasn't too emotionally close to Kunimitsu. But he far from neglected him. Kunimitsu always wanted to please his father and paid attention to his every word."

"Was there any evidence, Ms. Tezuka, that Tora may have abused him, sexually or physically?"

Her eyes widened, appalled, "Oh god no! He would never do that. We were just a regular family."

"How did that change?"

"Tora," Ayane sighed, "just up and left one day and didn't tell us. We never heard from him again."

"I bet that was hard blow to the family."

She nodded, "I had to work triple time to get income. That was until I got sick."

"Then technically Kunimitsu had to become the head of the Tezuka family."

"My father has helped a lot, but in terms of the Tezuka family, yes my son is technically the head of it now."

"That is a heavy burden on a young man with school responsibilities and other activities that take up quite a bit time."

"Yes and I am very sorry that I am not strong enough to take charge again."

Dr. Shigashi bit on her pen as she thought of something, "Do you think that you have subconsciously let Kunimitsu replace your husband."

"That is possible…"

"Your marriage to Tora wasn't arranged, correct? Do you feel some sort of attraction to Kunimitsu like you did your husband?"

Her eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"

The doctor cleared her throat; "I assume you have not had intercourse within the last twelve years."

"True."

"Everyone has these urges and tension but do you think they have been displaced towards your son?"

"No, no, no," she shook her head, "I've been unwell and I love my son but not to the point of intimacy if that's what you're implying. I would never do that sort of thing."

_There goes my Freudian method, _the doctor thought as she wrote some things down.

"I have a favor Ms. Tezuka that I need you to do. I need you to try to persuade Kunimitsu to tell us about his father. We want to know if it is possible that Tora could have done something to him that may have been emotionally taxing or scarring."

"Do you know if he can be helped, what's wrong with him?"

"The main issue my colleagues and I think is going on is dealing with recurrent nightmares caused by post-traumatic stress. Sometimes these nightmares are so terrible that he has trouble either fully awakening from them or has problems discerning dream from reality. This trauma may have subconsciously resurfaced from daily stress. Dr. Yamato wants to send him to a sleep center within the institution so we could measure his brain activity. We are going to have to use a sedative to get him to sleep though."

"I understand."

"Once we deal with that, we will work with him so he can manage himself when it comes to these hallucinations or dreams. And then we can see if he can't be back out in society within a few weeks."

Ayane let out a breath of relief; "Oh I can't thank you enough."

The doctor smiled, "Not a problem. Would you like to see him?"

****

A knock came at Tezuka's door and Kenshiro came in, "Tezuka someone wants to see you."

The burly man led him to the courtyard where Dr. Shigashi was waiting. He stopped for a moment when he saw his mother standing next to her. Kenshiro noticed, "Tezuka? Come on, she came to visit you."

He didn't know if he could face her. He didn't know if he should be ashamed or horrified. He was glad, though, to see that she was healthy.

"Good afternoon, Kunimitsu. Your mother's come to visit you," the doctor turned to his mother. "I'll be right back. Take your time."

Dr. Shigashi left mother and son alone and found Dr. Yamato. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Rather well, I believe. The mother doesn't believe her husband ever abused him. I hope you don't mind if I took a Freudian approach in interviewing them."

Yamato shrugged, "People disregard Freud's methods mainly because of his Oedipus complex and his views on sex and the subconscious. What many don't realize that they do have some merit."

"The mother may have rested her dependency on her son, and I had a fear that she may have started viewing him as her husband," Dr. Shigashi explained, "But I don't see anything sexual or inappropriate going on between them."  
"'Inappropriate' is like morals and art appreciation: it's subjective," the older doctor reprimanded lightly, "Yet I see that the mother didn't subject him to any traumatic abuse. What about this mysterious father?"

"I asked his mother to convince him to open up about his father."

"Alright, have a talk with him after dinner to see if we can't clear these things up."

"Yes, doctor."

****

Tezuka and his mother sat on a bench in the court. Silence came as they both tried to find words to say. Ayane was taken aback by her son's appearance. His hair was longer, his face so worn and so weary, a shadow on his jaw and upper lip revealed that he hadn't shaved in a while. They probably don't give out razors here.

"I…I'm glad you're well," he said quietly. He sounded so exhausted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" his mother asked.

"I didn't want to worry you. You were so sick…I…" Tezuka stopped unable to finish his sentence. His mother gripped his shoulder, "Kunimitsu, I am your mother. It is my job to take care of you. Honey, all I was doing was sitting in bed not getting any better, the least I could do is listen to you and help you."

He bent his head down and rubbed his tired eyes from under his glasses with his forefinger and thumb and he shook his head. He tried to respond but it came out as a whimper and he started to rock, biting his thumbnail.

Ayane could sense her son's distress and she could honestly say she had never seen him like this. He was on the verge of tears. His voice was broken, "I am so…sorry."

That's when he broke; he sniffed through his silent tears.

Ayane immediately embraced her son, cradling his head against her chest and rubbing his back as he wept into her clothing.

"It's okay," she assured softly stroking his hair, "There's nothing to be sorry about. They're going to help you get better, alright?"

She pulled him away so he could face her, "I love you, sweetie, nothing's ever going to change that."

He closed his watery to hold back even more tears.

"Kunimitsu, in order for you to get better, I need you to do something for me…"

****

So here he was, in front of Dr. Shigashi as he related how he felt about his father. Every word he spoke about him was like bad wasabi lining his tongue.

"Do you remember much about him?"

Tezuka shrugged, "As much as a child can remember until the age of six."

"What was he like? I don't mean what you now think of him, I mean what you thought of him then?"

To be honest he wasn't totally sure of how he felt about his father back then.

"I saw him as a father figure. A guide. A guide that was supposed to lead me."

He continued, "Understand Dr. Shigashi. That low-life walked out on us. Leaving us with nothing. My mother was ill when he left, and still she had to pull three jobs just so we could have a roof over our head and food on the table. She never really got better. My grandfather, who was retired, had to get back in the workforce after my mother cracked under the stress. This whole destruction is all because of his selfish desires."

"Do you know the circumstances of why he left?"  
"No, but I know he is a coward."  
Shigashi grew a little concerned at the low menacing tone her patient. Tezuka paused, his eyes searching the table, "The last good memory I have of him was when he took me mountain climbing at the base of the Matternhorn. He left the day after we returned."

There was an unpleasant silence as Shigashi wrote down some notes. Tezuka then announced, "I'm done talking about this."

****

"Hoi, Hoi, it's very cloudy," Eiji said to the team as they walked to the U.S. v. Swiss team court.

Oishi sighed in agreement but as he looked ahead finding a group of familiar students in crisp, clean clothes and uniforms. "Oh, shit."

"Shocked to see us?" Atobe sneered at the Seigaku team. "My father managed to buy us tickets."

"That's great," Oishi said half-heartedly trying to move his team along.

"Looks like you're missing someone."

"Let's just go."

"So is it true that Tezuka's in the loony bin? Figures that he wouldn't be man enough to just say he can't stand letting us win the nationals this year. I assume that this 'break down' is just a way to avoid such consequences."

In a split second, Atobe found himself pinned to a tree, facing a supremely pissed off Oishi, "Fuck off Atobe. You can't hold a candle to Tezuka. Even committed he is more of a man than you could ever hope to be, and you know it."

Kawamura gently pulled Oishi away from Atobe, "C'mon Oishi let's go."

Oishi let Atobe go with a violent snap of his wrist.

Once the Seigaku team left, Atobe stared after them rubbing his uniform collar. Oshitari came up to him, "You know what you said was uncalled for…"

"I know!" he snapped clearly shaken.

***

Tezuka's new room wasn't much different from his old one. It had a window with bars on the outside. Today was the beginning of his "treatment". He didn't exactly know what the treatment was.

As it was approaching lights-out for the institution he heard a knock at the door. Kenshiro and another burly man entered along with Dr. Shigashi. This didn't seem good.

"Kunimitsu we have something that will help you get to sleep," she said as she held a needle in her hand and Kenshiro rolled in some sort monitor machine.

Tezuka swallowed, "I can't go to sleep." If he let Morpheus take him, who knows what horrors awaited him.

"Please, Kunimitsu, you must cooperate," she pleaded.

Tezuka turned his head and in a far corner of his room, the robed figure was standing, waiting. They couldn't see him. Kenshiro and the other guy came over and grabbed Tezuka's shoulders.

"No," Tezuka pleaded, "Don't…"

Kenshiro assured him as he pulled him up and dragged him to the bed laying him there, "You need sleep to be healthy. It's for your own good."

"Restrain him," Shigashi ordered and the two burly men held Tezuka down by his chest and waist.

"Don't let him get to me," Tezuka grunted, eyes transfixed on the far corner. He felt the needle pierce his arm, but he wasn't paying attention to the sharp pain.

"Don't let him get to me."

He felt his body still and eyes getting drowsy, though still focused on the hooded man.

"Don't let him get to me," he chanted again and again softly, the hooded man coming closer and closer until all went black.

****

Inoue sat late in the night staring at his computer. This article had been in the works for quite some time now and had no idea if he could finish. It was a question of ethics mostly. Still he typed down the words:_ Earlier in the month, Tezuka was committed to Tokyo Psychological Institution after suffering a mental breakdown…_

Growling in frustration, he immediately deleted all of those words. Ethics indeed. He couldn't do it. The editor was getting on his case about the article so he promised he would get him something by the end of the month. Whether or not it was the same article he was working on remained to be seen. He had no stomach for exploiting the horrible struggles of this young man for this magazine.

***

"What have you found Dr. Yamato?" Dr. Shigashi sat down next to her colleague in the surveillance room handing him a cup of coffee. Yamato scratched his head as he studied his notes and the monitors in front of him.

"His heart rate rises as well as blood pressure. I am very unsure about his brain activity during sleep", he pointed to the monitor measuring brain activity in the lobes of the brain.

"His visual and auditory cortexes are more active than what would be normal. I also notice the medial temporal lobe of the brain is active, the portion that controls memory specifically. I have never seen it active during sleep, at least not to this extent."

"So, what do we do?"

"Do we have a neurologist on call?"

Shigashi nodded, "I think I find one."

"See that you do. Let's see if we can't get this footage over to them and see what they think. Meanwhile, work with him on some reform activities. At night, we're going to have to keep close watch on him."

"Yes, doctor."

***

After the next week in a half, Tezuka was left weary and so worn he wouldn't come out of his room for morning activities. Witnessing violent nightmares night after night and violently waking from them took its toll. The doctors decided to stop giving him sedatives, trying to give him a chance to sleep on his own.

He would get in bed but wouldn't fall asleep. But by the end of the week he was so exhausted he wanted could barely move. Kenshiro was nice enough to give him his food and talk to him.

During the night Tezuka would stare out the window, able to see the moon through the bars. On one particular night he stared at something aside from the moon.

The silver and black spotted cat made its presence known.

"What are you doing here?" Tezuka said weakly, not quite believing his eyes.

The cat slinked through the bars and open window, jumped down, and hopped back up onto Tezuka's bed.

"Are you here just to frighten me?" he asked the cat, not really expecting an answer. The cat rubbed the side of its face next Tezuka's arm. The cat looked up him as if to say 'What happened to you?'

"You'd like this if you were forced to face your fears every waking hour," he looked down at the cat. It began massaging a spot by his arm as he listened to the boy's story.

"I don't even know how this happened. I have never felt so stuck."

The cat just settled it self down.

"It's a horrible feeling. Facing your nightmares with no place to go. Everywhere I turn to escape there's always something there. The only place I can go is…"

He paused for a second as realization clicked in his brain. What was it the Maria had told him about the Inferno? Dante could only move forward, forced climb on Satan and confront his nightmares.

"I have to face him on my terms," he murmured resolutely and looked down. The cat was curled next to him, eyes closed, purring in content. He let his hand stroke the silver fur, the purring easing his own nerves. This time he let his eyes close and for the first time in a long time, he had a dreamless sleep.

And in the morning the cat was gone, but he found a few strands of silver fur clinging to his palm.

A/N: Good God!!!! That was a horribly long chapter. It was mainly to clear things up, but it still ended god awful long. Good news is that I only have a few chapters to go. Four at the most, maybe. Man this was so long I felt like I was going insane. Jeez. I was reading something on Freud at the time so I used his method of psychology, sorry for the depthness. The title comes from one of my favorite songs of all time "9 Crimes" by Damien Rice. Please Review.


	19. Make A Deal With God

Disclaimer: I don't own POT or crack…etc.

Chapter 19: Make a Deal With God

It was the weekend of the Invitational Semi-finals and it was much anticipated, mainly because it was France versus England. It was bound to gain much publicity probably more than the Finals would.

Tezuka spent the morning going out for a walk at the break of dawn, letting the morning air clear his head. Ever since he was released from the mental hospital three days ago, he spoke very few words, even fewer than he usually did. His silence worried his grandfather and mother and they kept a close eye on him. What they did not know is that he retreated in the deepest recess of his mind for meditation, his mind standing before the statue of Bastet, her cool feline face boring into his skull. He kept himself calm, by remembering the feel of the Mau's soft fur and its lulling purrs.

After his walk, he sat in the back porch near the garden. As desolate as the garden was, there was a sort of melancholy, as the sun's rays shone through the branches of the tree, like arms reaching out, stroking his face with the heat. His mind had to be clear and refreshed today. His grandfather taught him Zen and meditation techniques as a way to get ready for tests and matches, now he has transgressed into full meditation letting his mind find solitude and just feel. He was so far gone that he barely noticed his mother kneeling beside him.

"Kunimitsu," she called softly resting a hand on his shoulder. He shuddered at the touch, remnants of what he did to her in his dreams still plastered in his mind.

"You'd better get going if you want get there in time to see the semifinals."

He nodded and made a move to get up, but Ayane still kept her grip on his arm, "Are you okay? Do you not feel well?"

"I'm fine," he assured and walked into the house.

---

"This is the match of the year," Inui stated sitting down near the fence next to Kawamura, his notebook out and ready, "The female prodigy from France and the genius prince from England are up for the match of their lives."

It was evident from the start that the tension was thick. It was now the last match of the game and it came down to this. Whoever won this, moved onto the finals.

Edward Plantagenet was to serve first and he stood on his side of the court straight and tall, regal in every way, but something didn't seem connected with him. Joan D' Arc on the other side stared straight at her opponent a determined look on her graceful face.

"Plantagenet's serve is the fastest in the world," Inui said flipping through his notebook, "It is obvious that if D'Arc doesn't break his serve then all is lost to her."

Without a word Edward Plantagenet threw the ball up in the air and launched the ball over, not as fast as to be expected but fast enough to miss if you blinked. D'Arc retrieved the ball and Plantagenet took absolute control of the ball and launched it back. Right away there was a rally as the two forces kept hitting the ball back and forth, neither one of them letting up.

Joan grunted as she found an opening as Edward's footing faltered slightly.

"Point D'Arc, 0-15" the caller announced. There was a light flutter of clapping but most were in awe of these two and how well they combat each other. It wasn't over yet. Edward's stern expression didn't falter. He served again with not as much power as he was capable of. The rally lasted approximately ten minutes before the announcer called, "Point Plantagenet, fifteen all."

"It looks like Plantagenet is not using his ace card just yet…so to speak," Fuji hummed in wonder.

The match wore on and after one would make a point the other would respond in kind. Both were sweating profusely but wouldn't take their eyes off each other, focusing on showing each other the extent what they could. Pure tension.

---

Meanwhile on the other semifinals court the Egyptian Doubles 1 was facing against USA's Double's team as well. The large monstrosity from Egypt sent the ball zinging straight into the back of his thinner partner's head, only the partner quickly stepped the side and the ball crashed into the USA player's skull, pummeling him into the ground. The crowd cringed.

Shiba and Inoue were observing this match. Inoue especially was keeping his eye on the Egyptian team.

"Grahhhh! I am the Apis Bull!!!" the large blind Egyptian roared as he brought his racket hard into the ground causing the whole ground to quake.

Shiba glanced at her partner, "What is he saying?"

Inoue's stern gaze left the court for a moment, "I knew it. I did some research when I spotted strange symbols on the ends of their rackets. They all are hieroglyphs representing the gods of the Egyptian religion."

He pointed to the dreadlocked blind man, "He represents Ptah, whose symbol is the Apis Bull."

He pointed to the man in navy blue, "He's Anubis. The god of mummification."

He pointed to "Ptah's" partner, "He's Sobek the crocodile god of the Nile. And that man in the white bandana is Horus, the falcon god."

Shiba nodded but couldn't help but feel a shudder running down her body, "What about him? The captain."

"That's the only one I couldn't find. I hesitate to think who he is."

---

"Point D'Arc. 0-40."

It was game seven. The tie-breaker game. Whoever won this game went on. Plantangenet didn't seem to be holding up very well. Inui noticed that something was wrong when after the first game Plantagenet went to his bench area and issued a hurl of wracking coughs that didn't seem to be coming from the exercise alone. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that the English team captain had bronchitis or something.

Plantagenet gripped the ball tightly and looked over at his coach and father. He gave a silent nod. He stared back at his beautiful opponent, her blue eyes focused on his. He exhaled and released the ball in the air. The next moment he was getting ready for another serve.

Everyone in the stand double blinked. Did he serve? He had to have. The ball was not in his hand any more.

The judge looked over to the court judges and they looked around. One of them found the bright yellow ball, lying still, near the back fence. It took a few minutes of the judges consulting themselves and the camera to see what had happened. Even the camera didn't seem to pick too much on the ball.

"What's going on?" Momoshiro gave the judges a calculating look.

"It seems that they're trying to determine if the ball was in or out."

"Was there even a ball?"

"It would seem so," Eiji replied, rubbing his eyes. Even fast balls, his cat-like reflexes and sight should've picked something up.

D'Arc finally spotted the mark on the ground and called the judge over. Sure enough, there it was. And it was in.

"P-Point Plantagenet. 15-40."

Plantagenet's expression didn't falter. He took another ball from his pocket and threw it in the air. This time, D'Arc swung her racket about several seconds too late. The ball was barely visible at all.

_Man, they weren't joking, _she thought. In order to have any chance at winning she had to break his serve. She stood back behind the baseline. The serve had to land somewhere in that tight square, she had to try and guess where he was going to hit it next.

The dark man readied to serve and this time he grunted audibly as he hit it so Joan could in fact time the grunt in time with the hit. To everyone's surprise she returned the ball. Edward responded in kind. The spectators' eyes followed the ball back and forth, but once a long while passed many of them grew anxious and knew that they were in for a long volley.

---

Back on the other semifinal court, Inoue and Shiba watched as the Egyptian in navy blue dominated the court.

"It's pretty much over," Inoue sighed as he marked something in his notepad.

The US player launched the ball to the far end of the court and Chigaru disappeared in a flash and appeared on the other side, shadowy, smoky black trails trailing behind him.

"What the-?"

"He disappeared like a shadow," Inoue blinked a few times before looking down to see if his partner could've gotten a picture. From her shocked expression and the way she held her camera, she didn't. _Who are these people?_

_---  
_

"How long has it been?" Eiji looked over at Inui who glanced at his watch.

"Little more than a half hour," he answered with some amazement.

"That long?"

The two tennis players weren't letting up, sweat drenching both their clothes. The rally was long enough that Echizen went to use the bathroom and come back without missing anything.

---

"Hey John," the wily John Fastolf smirked at his partner. "Does this look like anything to you?"

"Aside from a really long rally, no," Talbot answered gruffly. Fastolf chuckled, "If you look at those two, if you _really_ look, their movements are so synchronized it seems they are making the magical act of…love, to use a better term."

The larger man turned slowly, eyes narrowed, "Lay off the gin."

---

"Not that this is boring, but this is taking forever," Eiji whined.

"They both are going beyond their limit," Fuji said, "This is showing who has more endurance, but both are running on fumes. One of them has to die eventually."

"The chances of Plantagenet winning is very slim," Inui pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Think of it. Even if he gets this point, it would be a tie. I don't think either of them will have the energy to go into another rally."

Inoue and Shiba approached the young Seigaku team, "How is it over here?"

The team regarded the reporters, stunned to see both of them wet. "What happened to you two?"

Inoue gave them a perplexed look, "It rained for a little while until the last Egyptian matchup won. Did it not rain over here?"

"Our clothes are dry, so no. It was always bright and sunshine here."

The two reporters exchanged worried glances.

"These two have been rallying for about an hour now," Oishi said.

"An hour?!"

As they turned their attention to the court, they saw Plantagenet muster the last of his energy and flung the ball across the court.

"Out!" the judge called. There was a stunned silence. Plantagenet dropped his racket and braced himself on his knees, sucking in gasps of air. D'Arc fell to her knees, doing much the same. Both players exhausted.

"Game and match to D'Arc. France advances to the Finals."

Cheers were heard on the French section. Both opponents willed themselves to the net and shook hands.

"I got lucky," Joan breathed beaming at the taller man, who couldn't help but smile.

"If I was going to lose to anyone, I was going to lose to you," he nodded trying to hide his disappointment.

---

"Phew, it's over," Eiji sighed collapsing back on the grass.

Tezuka silently stood and headed off to the empty courts. "Where's he off too," Eiji asked, staring at his captains retreating form. The team glanced at one another in curiosity before standing and following Tezuka to wherever he was headed.

"What's up Tezuka? Headed home already?" Oishi asked.

"No," was his blunt reply. They reached the desolate practice courts, and Tezuka stopped by one of them. Inside a group of men were huddled with gyms bags. The Egyptian stood, conversing happily with one another, their leader shouldering his racket and bouncing a yellow ball on the pavement, while talking with his teammates.

Tezuka opened the door to the court and entered. "Tezuka, what do you think you're doing," Oishi protested.

"What's going on," Inoue asked.

"He's about to get himself in a mess of trouble," Oishi replied.

As Tezuka made his way further into the court, the Egyptians stopped their talking and stared, only the leader had his back to him, still bouncing the yellow ball. He caught it, gripping it tightly.

"I knew you'd come," he chuckled darkly before turning.

Tezuka dropped his bag and took out his racket, kicking the bag out of the way. He pointed his racket at the dark, clad figure; "I challenge you to a match."

"I figured as much," was the dark man's response.

"I advise against this," Heru said, giving Tezuka a worried look.

"Relax, Heru," the man purred. "Care to make things interesting?"

Tezuka narrowed his eyes.

"If you can score one point on me, I will reveal myself to you…"

Everyone knew that it must've been too good to be true.

"…but are you prepared for the way _I _play tennis?"

Tezuka ignored the last statement, "I accept your wager."

The man shrugged, "Suit yourself."

With a nod, the rest of the Egyptian team reluctantly headed out of the court and joined the Seigaku team as spectators. An eerie feeling falling on the latter group as the sky grew dark and overcast.

"Ready?" the man asked weighing the ball in his hand.

Immediately, Tezuka let loose a glowing aura.

"Hyakuren Jitoku no Kiwami," Fuji muttered, "He's not playing around. He's serious."

Oishi's brow furrowed into deep lines, "He's really upset."

The man chuckled and threw the ball in the air. The serve was nothing special and Tezuka returned it easily, but the man's return was a thousand times stronger and zoomed past Tezuka.

"It…sealed Tezuka's Hyakuren."

The man pulled out another ball and served it. Again a fairly normal serve. Tezuka returned it and the man's responding ball zoomed right towards Tezuka. He hit it back. His Tezuka Zone seemed to be doing the trick.

"What do we have here?" a rough voice said from behind Inoue and Shiba.

"Echizen!" Inoue jumped slightly in surprise as the older man in the black kimono peered at the match. The boy was holding his own. Or so it seemed.

Tezuka grew concerned. His Zone was diverting from its orbit and his opponent didn't seem tired at all. He had to persevere. He wasn't going down without a fight.

He felt something snap, as the ball broke his Zone and made it's way to the corner. He broke out of his standstill and tried to go after the ball, but it was too late.

It was apparent to all, that this guy was the real deal. Tezuka pulled out most of his aces and here his opponent barely broke a sweat.

Tezuka took a deep breath and got ready for the next serve. He played normally, only with the Hyakuren as a boost, and it was a challenge. His opponent scored more points.

The man brought the ball up for another serve and Nanjiro thought he saw a familiar mark on the bared forearm. A winding fiery tiger.

Tezuka brought his racket back to his shoulder and brought it down the ball barely escaping the net.

"The Zero-Shiki, finally," Momo sighed.

The man disappeared in a flash and appeared in a blur of inky blackness right in front of the net and returned the ball.

Inoue recognized it as Chigaru's move from earlier today.

"What was that?" Eiji's mouth nearly dropped.

"It's called the Shadow Step," the Egyptian in navy blue said coolly, "The player who has mastered it can ride every little shadow to anywhere on the court in a blink of an eye. Years of playing on desert sand have trained our feet to do just that."

Tezuka was running out of options. Even his Zero-shiki was useless. He made to move his legs but found that his steps were heavy. It felt like his feet weren't on solid ground anymore. He looked down; the green of the cement was soft and unstable…like sand.

"Have you ever played on sand before?"

What's this? Was this another illusion?

Moving was going to be difficult, so he shouldn't have to return anything. It was risky and he promised himself he wouldn't do it again. He returned the ball, creating a spin and activating the Tezuka Phantom.

The man seemed to know what was going on.

Nanjiro swallowed as the dark player got low and wound himself back, like he was ready to pounce. He grasped the fence and shouted," Kid, get out of the way!!"

The man fired the ball back with blinding speed and it cut through the Tezuka Phantom. Tezuka barely moved a little out of the way and the ball whizzed past his left shoulder.

He felt a sting. The spinning ball had sliced through his shirt and created a long cut, blood oozing down.

"Shit," Nanjiro cursed as he literally crawled up the fence and shouted at the cloaked player, "What the hell are you thinking!? You can't use a move like that, he's just a kid-"

He was cut off as the man casually took out another ball and lightly hit it towards Nanjiro. It hit him square in the face causing him to fall back down with a thud.

"Echizen, are you okay."

He groaned a little rubbing the sore spot on his nose, "Yeah, just my ego bruised." He stood.

"What was it?" Inoue asked.

"It wasn't the move I thought it was, but still dangerous. He creates such a spin on the ball that it produces it's own current of rapidly spinning air that can slice through things, kind of like a shuriken."

"It's hard to tell if he was aiming for the neck," Nanjiro finished. The reporters swallowed.

"So what other magic tricks do you have up your sleeve," the man sneered.

Tezuka had very few. Chances are he would be battered and beaten when this was over. What's more is that his opponent was still playing mind games with him.

"He's distracted," Fuji said solemnly, "his mind is not fully on the court."

"That's because our captain has the unique ability to trap the mind," the Egyptian in the white bandana said. "He can seize and even take control of it. It'd be dangerous if your friend remains on the court with him any longer."

_Trap the mind?_ Oishi remembered Tezuka's seemingly irrational anxiety towards these people, but was his mental and physical collapse brought on by this man?

As of now, the man seemed to be playing Tezuka, like a dog to a chew toy. The Seigaku captain was facing his opponent with no aces now and it was causing him to tire. As he retrieved every ball his mind wandered to his dreams, his suffering. Would it continue if this man were to be defeated? Well, he had little chance of that now. But how much more of the mind games could he take. He narrowly escaped disease brought on by sleepless nights these games caused. He wanted his life back, his mind back. He could feel this man's hold over it, squeezing it slowly, ready to crush it. Tezuka wasn't going to lie down anymore, waiting for the executioner's blade to cut away the last strands of reality and humanity he had.

A sparkling aura surrounded him, giving him incomparable power and he shot the ball to the other side. His opponent raised his racket but paused, as the ball bounced on the court then out.

"He's activated the Teni Muho."

The smaller Echizen smirked a little. _It's about time._

The cloaked man's racket was still poised, but no one could tell if the man was shocked or not. Slowly the man straightened, "Teni Muho, huh."

"Congratulations, you've scored a point on me," he continued. "Are you prepared to see my real identity?"

Fuji could hear the Egyptian with the bandana whispering, "Just say no kid, and walk away. Just walk away, you aren't prepared for this."

The dark player grasped at the cuff of his hood, "Brace yourself, little cub."

Tezuka froze. Only one person ever called him that…

It couldn't be…

The man slowly removed the hood revealing his face.

---

He looked just like Tezuka. Only his eyes were a piercing gold and had no glasses, his darker disheveled hair was longer, past his shoulders. He had a pale, thin scruff on his jaw and upper lip and wore a sinister smirk.

Everyone's mouths hung open.

"He looks just like…"

"I knew he seemed familiar," Nanjiro said, his voice serious. "Tora Tezuka."

Inoue's blood ran cold. This was the mysterious Tora Tezuka. It made sense. He looked just like his son.

"This is the captain's father?" Kaidoh whispered in disbelief.

"I didn't know he had a dad, did you?" Eiji turned to his doubles partner and Fuji.

Fuji covered his mouth to stifle his shock.

---

Tezuka's feelings in his body left him. He felt numb, eyes still transfixed in a horrified stare at his opponent. His father. A man whom he last saw at the age of six, who made his family suffer so. He thought he would never see him again and didn't have a desire to. It was like seeing a ghost. His Teni Muho faded and the racket fell from his loosened grip as he dropped to his knees.

"Kid! Get out of there, before he destroys your mind-!," Heru sensed his master's displeasure and tried to have the kid leave before something else happened, but Chigaru cut him off, "Be silent, Heru."

Tezuka willed himself to raise his head, but his surroundings were different. He was kneeling on sand, the wind torrent that surrounded the area kicking it up. The sky was dark and smoky. He wasn't in his casual clothes anymore. He only had on a simple linen cloth tied around his waist like a kilt.

A dark shadow emerged from the blurring sand torrent. His father came into view wearing a long black drapery around his waist and a leopard hide around his shoulders. "I suppose you hate me."

Tezuka didn't respond.

"I'd rather you'd hate me for everything that I am," Tora made a grandiose gesture towards himself, "Than to have you love me for something that I'm not."

Tora tisked, "Come on, get up."

Tezuka was quivering, shaking.

"Get up," that dark voice growled. His son didn't comply. "Fine, then I shall end this."

He flung the ball in the air and shot it hurtling towards Tezuka. It hit him under the chin sending him backwards and knocking his glasses off.

He was sprawled on the court, unable to move. Not wanting to move. He was in shock. He stared at the sky which had returned to normal, his eyes seeing nothing.

Tora Tezuka shouldered his racket and exited the court motioning for his teammates to follow, "Let's go."

Nanjiro Echizen stepped in front of the group, be he seemed unsure of his own intention.

Tora lifted his hood, "You wish to challenge me too?"

Nanjiro swallowed and stepped out of the way. The Egyptian team proceeded forward, Tora Tezuka chuckling, "Wise choice."

---

A/N: Oh boy, Finally an update. I apologize for the largest update gap I've had so far. I had college work to do and a severe case of writer's block. I bet most you found the ending predictable as I gave clues throughout the story. A few things, the title comes from "Running Up that Hill" by Placebo. Heru is an Egyptian name that means "falcon." Chigaru means "hound" in Egyptian. Tora's clothing choice is based off the Egyptian Coptic high priests and his clothing in the "sand world," is based off the Ancient Egyptian High priest. So guess what his day job is. I also used a lyric from "Never Enough" by Five Finger Death Punch in Tora's dialogue in the "sand" vision.

Got to give where credit is due. Please review, It took me three months to write this chapter. And no it's not done.


	20. Tired of Me

Disclaimer: I don't own POT…unfortunately

Chapter 20: Tired of Me

It was late at night and a lone silver, spotted cat strolled down the dark streets. A few passersby turned and looked at the solitary feline, but that cat seemed to know where it was going so no one bothered it. Crossing the empty street, it padded over to a dark alleyway between a sports bar and a shifty looking nightclub.

It peeked around the corner, giving a small meow. There a figure was sitting slumped against the wall, holding a half empty bottle of whiskey limply in his hand. The cat crept hesitantly over to the figure, nudging his hand to get up. The figure wouldn't comply.

Not until a shadow loomed over him.

"My, how the mighty have fallen," the man above the figure said with an all-knowing smile.

Tezuka looked up, recognizing that voice, and tried to focus on the face.

"Captain Yamato?" he said weakly. The man above him had dark hair and round dark glasses.

"I can't say I'm happy to see you this way…"

With subtle movement Tezuka took another swig of his alcohol.

"…but I can see you're not happy either," Yamato finished. He cocked his head, studying his former kohai. "I can honestly say that this is the first time I have seen you like this. It's pretty exciting."

Tezuka mumbled, "I apologize."

"It'd be pretty irresponsible for me to leave you here," Yamato sighed. He bent down and helped Tezuka up. Tezuka swayed and stumbled. Yamato caught the taller boy before he fell, "You've grown taller than me. I don't know if I can carry you home. I guess my apartment will do."

The last thing Tezuka could recall was Yamato draping Tezuka's arm around his shoulder and dragging him out of the alleyway, before he passed out.

**

Cold water rained down on him, and he snapped to consciousness. Tezuka was in a porcelain tub, fully clothed, cold water showering on him from the showerhead. His glasses were still on and he struggled to focus on the figures beside him.

"Remind me why you dragged him into my apartment again?" a young woman's voice asked the man beside her.

"My floors are being redone," Yamato answered casually, "And my roommate is probably passed out in our tub now too. And also you're my lovely neighbor."

"You're lucky my uncle's out of town for the next week."

"You're right. Call it a coincidence, Maria-chan."

_Lucia? Yamato –sempai?_ He started coughing and sputtering vaguely hearing Maria ask frantically, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yamato ignored her and turned to the younger man in the tub trying to sober up.

"Nice of you to join us, Tezuka."

Maria turned off the taps to the shower. Tezuka still lay in the tub unable to move. He didn't know whether it was the alcohol or if it was still shock.

"Ryuzaki-sensei was worried about you and asked me to look in on you," Yamato explained but Tezuka didn't seem to be in a state of caring.

"What happened to him anyway? He's student council president and captain of the tennis club. Drinking would be a big no-no."

"His dad has decided to show his face," Yamato replied bluntly. The young woman next to him raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"I'll explain later. Let's get him out," Yamato took hold of Tezuka's shoulders and dragged his upper half out grunting, "Maria-chan can you get his legs?"

"Way ahead of you," she gathered Tezuka's legs and eased them out of tub, lifting his bottom half.

They carried him to the living room, struggling. "My furniture was easier to move," Yamato grunted.

"I guess I didn't realize how heavy he was," Maria responded in between breaths.

They finally got the half-conscious Tezuka onto a leather couch. Catching their breaths they stared down at the young tennis player.

"So about his father…"

"The last time Kunimitsu Tezuka ever saw his father was when he was just a little boy. His father left without reason, never to be seen again. Until now," Yamato plopped onto a nearby easy chair.

"No wonder he's in shock. How did the initial confrontation go?"

Maria's neighbor shrugged, "Apparently not very well. Look at him."

"Well you never know. He probably feels inferior to his father since his only memories of him were when he was a child. He still sees him as a sort of 'big daddy.' It sort of goes off this Oedipal complex…"

Yamato laughed, "You should be a psychologist. You sound like my cousin."

Beside them, Tezuka groaned as he sat up, rubbing his aching temples.

"Welcome to the land of the living."

Tezuka adjusted his sight, finding Maria standing with her arms crossed and his former captain sitting in an armchair. "What's going on?"

"A sort of half intervention while you get over what's called a hangover," Maria responded moving over to dim the lights even more. That eased his migraine a little.

Tezuka stood making his way to the door murmuring, "I'm going."

"Oh, no you don't," Maria said grabbing him roughly by the collar and shoving him back on the couch, "Not until we're sure you're not going out to drink again."

"Quit imposing your will on me," Tezuka said angrily, clearly not liking to be jostled around. "Is that all you Italians know how to do?"

Maria and Yamato were taken aback by Tezuka's bitterness.

"No. We also know how to cook, create art, make love, and sing opera," Maria spat back making a valiant gesture with her arm. Yamato held her back before she did anything rash, "Remember he's not himself. At least we know he's a bitter drunk."

Maria didn't take her eyes off Tezuka, "How dare you insult my heritage? Imposing will on others, indeed. Don't confuse us with the French or the Americans."

Yamato tried hard not to laugh at her raving. They certainly had some sort of history together. He sat her on the chair he formerly occupied, "Alright Lucia, why don't you settle down. I'll handle this."

He bent down in front of the younger man on the couch, "I think you need to slow down for a while too. Maria-chan's right. How do we know if you won't go out and drink again? You're barely sober."

Tezuka couldn't look at his sempai's glass covered eyes. In his conscious he was ashamed. Ashamed of being vulnerable. Ashamed being vulnerable to the drink. Yamato so far has been fair to him, but he could sense the disappointment. "I feel trapped," he said softly.

Yamato heard him, "Of course you do. I think you need to take a night away from everything. Get sober and refreshed in the morning and start anew."

"Yes, sempai," Tezuka responded. Yamato stood, a grin on his face, "Good. Now Maria-chan, I leave it to you."

Maria's head perked up, "What?"

Yamato proceeded to the door, "I have to check in on my roommate and I have a class in the morning at the university."

"You can't be serious," she stood outraged.

"It'll be fine…"

"Did you miss the yelling match?"

"Oh, please. I'm sure you can handle him. Bye!" Yamato hurried out the door.

"Wait!" Maria ran after her neighbor, but he closed the door behind him before she could reach him.

She turned to the young man on her couch looking very unemotional and not disturbed by this arrangement. Maria sighed thinking of creative ways to kill Yamato as she made her way towards Tezuka. He looked up at her, eyes narrowed. She didn't know what to say, but before she thought of saying something he interrupted, "I need to use the bathroom."

She pointed to where he was carried from, "Use that one."

He stood without a word and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

He let out a sigh once he was alone and headed directly to the sink, turning on the tap water and hanging his head low in case he got sick. He had been feeling sick to his stomach and he didn't know if it was the booze or the masses of emotions flooding his head.

He took his glasses off and cupped his hands under the sink, splashing water onto his face. He wiped a hand over his face and placed the glasses back over his eyes. He braced the sides of this sink and stared at his reflection, fighting the urge to smash the reflection.

"Are you alright in here?"

Tezuka peered over his shoulder, staring at Maria. She didn't look hostile or impassive, even with her arms folded across her chest. Instead, her eyes portrayed subtle compassion.

"What's the matter?" she asked as he turned his head back to his reflection, scowling.

He shook his head and shut his eyes, "Why do I look like him? Why do I have his face?"

Tezuka shut his eyes tight and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the sink, and placed his head in his hands resisting the urge to cry in agony. His body started to shake.

He felt a gentle hand rest on his back. Tezuka inhaled and jerked his head up. He turned to Maria, jaw clenched and quivering. She cupped his cheek, trying to stare into his eyes, "Does it hurt that much?"

Tezuka nodded, hating that the pain was so obvious.

Maria leaned over, her lips hovering over his, before she closed the gap and kissed him tenderly.

Hesitantly, Tezuka allowed her to kiss him. He needed some affection to soothe the abject pain in his heart. He wrapped his arms around the young woman and kissed her back.

***

Joan D'Arc of France was spending the night practicing, hitting the ball against the board and retrieving it. She had to prepare herself for the finals against an unexpected opponent. She never heard of Egypt as a tennis superpower, but they managed to make their way up to the finals, and by the tales she was hearing, they were tougher than expected. A lot tougher. She had to prepare for anything they threw at her.

"I figured you would be here," came a familiar voice. It was hoarse and scratchy but was familiar. Edward Plantagenet stepped out of the darkness onto the lighted court.

"Plantagenet," she called breathlessly. D'Arc thought that the young Englishman would have some choice words to say after she beat him. "Is there a reason you are here?"

"Why so guarded? I only came here to observe a wonderful young woman," Edward shrugged. Joan gave him a skeptical look. "Don't be a tease. Is that all you came here for?"

"Have I offended you somehow?"

Joan's gaze softened. She had been so tense, she didn't take anything lightly, "No, I'm sorry. I'm a little tense."

"Finals jitters, eh?" Edward smirked then shrugged, "It happens to the best of us."

Joan didn't respond, and just turned away from him shoulders raised in defense. When she felt his light touch on her back, she whirled around in shock. Edward chuckled at her jumpiness.

Joan cleared her throat, but that didn't stop her voice from wavering, "I need to continue to practice…"  
Edward let out a hesitant breath and his voice lowered into a serious tone as he spoke softly, "I know a way you guys can win one game against the Egyptians."

Her expression turned from one of nervousness to one of intrigue.

"I've seen tapes of their matches here," Edward continued. "They are definitely not to be underestimated. They are very few holes in their game. But there may be a way to prevent them from getting a total blowout. As they have been doing against every team they've played."

"Why are you telling me this?"

The tall man clenched his jaw as he looked at the ground, "Because I…admire…you."

Joan' eyebrows rose into her bangs, "You…what?"

Edward drew closer to her invading her personal space, and she felt that she didn't mind it so much.

"I find you to be a most desirable woman," the Englishman let it all in the air, "I find myself entranced when you play. You're strength, you're will…it is all consuming."

She placed a hand on her hip and pierced him with a scrutinizing gaze, not quite believing what he just said. Taking a deep breath, she found the words to speak, inhaling his masculine presence.

"I'm guessing in order for you to tell me this…secret, I would have to do something in return."

Edward rolled his eyes, "In spite of what you French may think of us, we are not nearly as sleazy as you would believe us to be. No, I will tell you even if you decide to beat me with your racket and spit on me."

Joan reeled back in minor distaste; "I would never do that to anyone, least of all you."

There was a small pause, before she leaned up and lightly kissed him on the lips.

They went back to the hotel where Joan gratefully gave Edward something in return for the strategy and affection.

***

Two nude bodies lay in bed, next to each, bathing in afterglow and drying sweat. Tezuka lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Maria was snuggled next to his shoulder observing his contemplative state.

"What are you thinking," she asked.

"Hmm?" Tezuka snapped out of his trance, "Oh, I was just trying to make sense of everything."

"Mind blowing, wasn't it?" she smirked.

He let out a puff of air that could be construed as laughter as he arched an eyebrow, "Yes I believe I enjoyed myself."

"Right," she rested a hand on his toned chest, "I've been thinking too."

"Hrmm," he grunted.

"You know that Oishi thinks we are fuck buddies?"

It took Tezuka a moment to imagine Oishi even uttering that phrase.

"What exactly are we?" she asked softly. It took Tezuka a while to understand that she was talking about their relationship.

"I don't exactly love you and you don't love me. Do you?"

He shook his head, "No. Not enough to be in what you would call a committed relationship. I don't mean to diminish your worth, but lately, you have greatly aided me in releasing tension."

Maria smiled, "That's what fuck buddies are for."

There was brief pause, "So what are you going to do now. About your father I mean."

Tezuka shrugged, "I think it's best to leave it as is. He obviously has no more interest in his family than he did twelve years ago."

Maria's brow furrowed as she glared daggers at him. He was oblivious to her glare as he still had his gaze to ceiling. She crawled on top of him, straddling his waist as he gave him swift, medium strength hook to his jaw. Tezuka gave short cry of pain and pleasure. Until he met Maria, he never would have guessed he was a bit of a masochist. Bites and scratches, it gave him a strange sparks of pleasure. Who would've thought?

"What the fuck are you thinking? Your chance to get all of the answers, to face his shadow and you throw it all away? That's not like you."

"Yes, but I know when I have been defeated."

Maria growled, "And what's to prevent you from trying again?"

"The fact that he broke every single of my special moves."

"Who said you had to confront him on the tennis court?"

"This is a matter of pride…"

"Men and your pride. You guys have little else," Maria muttered as she rolled her eyes. "The only way you can face him in this…stag fight…is to not think of him as your dad. He's just your opponent."

"That's just it, I faced him as an opponent and I still was put to rest easily."

"That's not important, is it. You don't have to win. But that doesn't mean you give up," her voice had softened as she knew she was right.

Tezuka relented; his persistence interrupted as the woman ground her hips in his lap and bit one of his nipples. It didn't take long for him to be come fully aroused. Maria proceeded to grab hold of him and descend onto him, Tezuka guiding her hips.

A/N: Sorry it took so long for this lame transition chapter, but it was kind of necessary to see how Tezuka was coping. I apologize the slow update. Other stories and real life and writer's block got in the way. I got the quote on what Italians can do from some sitcom that I'm not sure it was called, but I thought it was so funny and true. The title of this chapter was the title of a Live song.


	21. The Voice of a Thousand Hurricanes

Disclaimer: Read the other chapters. If there is anything that may seem familiar I probably borrowed it.

Note: I would like to mark this chapter to commemorate the release of the video game Dante's Inferno, an inspiration for this story. Finally they made a game. Took them long enough. This also marks a whole year in writing this fic. Yay?

Chapter 21: The Voice of a Thousand Hurricanes

The finals were upon them and try as they might, they did their best to try to ignore the fact that the captain of the formidable Egyptian team was the father of their very own captain. They didn't know how to take it. Tezuka had disappeared for a few days after the incident.

"If the rest of the team is as dominating as their captain, Egypt would have no problems winning over France," Momo said as he took his seat in the stadium beside Echizen.

"I wouldn't make that assumption," Inui countered, "France is still favored to win. Unfortunately I didn't get any data on Tora Tezuka."

"What!" several of the Seigaku members gasped in shock. Inui never passed an opportunity to gain data on a tough player.

"I was too stunned to really get accurate data, plus I honestly don't think data would help. His moves were unlike anything I have ever seen," Inui explained.

Fuji nodded, "I still have trouble wrapping my head around everything."

Oishi interrupted their discussion, "The match is about to start."

***

The first doubles match did not go as the French team had planned. It was horrible to watch, they were beaten so badly and they prayed that their primary doubles team would be better than the last.

Joan was biting her nails by now. She had told the first doubles team of Edward's strategy and she prayed that it worked.

The players La Hire and De Rais started off slow, not getting even one point against the blind giant and his slick and speedy partner. Spectators were amazed that the blind man could volley so easily with superhuman strength. His partner's cunning went unmatched as he could read all of his opponents' moves. It was quite obvious that the spectators were astounded with the Egyptians' players.

The smaller Egyptain hit a volley back and La Hire returned the volley lightly, odd for his playing style, but it sailed towards where the giant "Apis Bull" was located. The larger man made a move towards it but stopped suddenly as it hit the ground then out.

"Point France. 40-15" the announcer called and everyone jumped. France managed to get a point?

The smaller Egyptian glanced at his partner. Strangely, the blind man seemed a little confused.

"Hoi, Hoi, let's turn this around!" Eiji cheered.

Oishi frowned, "It's too early to assume that."

The Egyptains served and the French responded in very much the same manner. It wasn't a particularly strong shot but as soon as it was hit, the larger Egyptian stood still, not quite sure where the ball was. His partner shouted at him where the ball was, but it was too late.

"Point France. 40-30."

"Something's wrong on the Egyptian side," Kawamura stated plainly observing the lightly frustrated faces of the two Egyptians as the French scored another point.

"His handicap is becoming just that," Fuji sighed.

The smaller Egyptian came up to his partner and gave him a few words in their language and lightly gave him a reassuring pat on the back. The man's usually harsh-looking face softened and his shoulders relaxed noticeably.

The pep talk apparently didn't do much to help their situation.

"Game France. 3-1."

***

During the small break in between the Egyptian doubles team strode to their side. They had to face their captain and were strangely calm about it.

"So?" Captain Tezuka's cold voice asked as he sat on the coach's bench, arms crossrd, but there was no indication that he was frustrated with his two players.

"We apologize, captain. They have altered their grips so that the sound vibrations would respond in an odd way when the ball hits the racket. They can't use particularly strong shots with this grip, but the sound confuses him," the smaller of the pair explained.

Tezuka turned his hooded face to the larger man, who nodded.

"Clever…" the Egyptian captain muttered, "It seems they are insistent on drawing me out to play."

"Sir…"

"Can you combat their strategy?"

The thinner man nodded, "Of course. We could win this quickly."

Captain Tora Tezuka nodded, "Good, stand aside."

The hooded man stood and approached the judge's chair, "We would like to retire from this match."

The Egyptian doubles team stood shocked and gave a mild protest, "Sir?"

The judge's eyebrows rose in shock, "A-are you sure?"

The dark man nodded.

The judge gave the signal to a few of the coordinators behind him, and the announcer confirmed, "The Egyptian doubles 2 team has retired."

The whole stadium was buzzing with confused whispers.

"Why are they retiring? They are not even losing."

"What's going on? Was someone hurt?"

The Egyptain captain approached his disappointed doubles team, "I have no doubt in my mind you would have risen victorious. But…"

He turned to glance back at the French team, who were giving their pair mild handshakes still stunned that the Egyptians forfeited this match.

"…if they want me to play that badly, who am I to deny them what they want?"

His voice was ice as he gave the larger man a solid pat on the shoulder before resting on the bench.

***

"What did I miss?" Echizen senior's rough voice asked as he sat next to Shiba and Inoue.

Inoue blinked, he was still in shock over the Egyptian's decision, "Er, well, France just won a match. So it is now not a total blowout."

"Ah, good for them," Echizen seemed relieved that the French were able to beat the Egyptians at least once.

"But it was an odd situation."

"Oh? How so?"

"The Egyptians retired from the match for no reason. They were ahead 3-1."

Echizen's face turned into a frown as he turned his attention down to the court. Mainly at "Tiger" Tezuka.

"Then the French have no reason to celebrate."

"Hmm?"

"If the French lost all of their matches, there would be no need for Tora to play against their final player. The match would already be won. Now that the Egyptians have withdrawn from this match, it is guaranteed that Tora Tezuka will play. The fact that he pulled his players out so he could play, means that the 'Tiger' is out for blood. I pity the poor sod who will have to face him."

Shiba shuddered, remembering the match between the two Tezukas, "If he plays against his own son like that, God knows how he will play against an opponent."

***

"I can't honestly say I've seen anything like that happen," Oishi said after it was made official that the Egyptian doubles team retired from their match.

"I don't get it," Eiji said in a surprisingly soft tone. For some reason, although the French supporters were cheering, he had an uneasy feeling about this. They all did.

"What could the captain's dad be thinking?" Momo turned to Fuji, who usually had all of the answers, but this time Fuji was silent, his pensive gaze on the court.

"Eh? Where's the captain anyway?" Eiji put his hand over his brow, searching everywhere for the Tennis Club captain.

Ryoma scoffed, "You think he'll want to see this?"

"He's here," Oishi affirmed, "He's just somewhere where he can think."

***

Oishi was correct. Tezuka was far away from the excitement of the stadium. Instead he was in the relatively empty park, on a hill, underneath a tree. He had to think. A part of him wanted answers from his father and the other part wanted him to go away so he could get on with his life. He knew, however, it would never be the same.

Tezuka did know that his father wasn't going to give up that information for free.

For the first time, the idea of playing tennis made him sick to his stomach. Somehow his favorite escape from the world has becoming his worst nightmare. He had yet to figure out a strategy against his opponent.

For now he just sat under the tree under deep meditation, trying to ease his heavy heart. In his mind, he wanted to be far away. Far, far away. To a place that has been on his mind.

Egypt.

Where Tora Tezuka lived.

What did he see? What kind of things shaped his style?

Flashes of Africa crossed his mind, mainly from memories of nature and history shows.

He exhaled and let himself be washed by his mind's Africa. Wildebeest grazing, birds soaring, elephants bathing in the rare cool waters. Endless plains of grass, lionesses and their tiny cubs huddled for an afternoon nap after eating, a few of the cubs playing with the tails of their adults. Hippos yawning and snorting out water. Animals, predator and prey taking a drink together at the mystical Nile.

These creatures had their inner quarrels to survive, but they developed adaptations to survive and live in this land of beauty, where the soul rises in one's being when they just observe such things.

He unwittingly was sucked in and found himself walking out of a sandstone cave to observe the Egyptian sky: a dark blue sky with a small orange crescent emerging from the sands. Ra was to be born.

Tezuka felt strange, a little chilled. Glancing down at himself, he found that he was wearing a white loincloth wrapped about his waist and reached his knees. On his wrists were golden bracers with intricate designs of Egyptian figures that he didn't care to make out.

He tore his gaze from the bracers to gaze out at the solitary beauty bestowed before him.

There was a snort. He turned his gaze. Up on a rocky dune was a chariot attached to two large black horses that were pawing at the sandy ground, anxious for someone. Was it him?

He barely remembered making his way to the chariot or why he was drawn to it, but he got on and flicked the reigns and the horses sprang to life riding towards the rising sun. He had never seen the sun so vividly or so large and these horses were speeding him towards it.

Structures began to emerge from gusts of sand as if they rising from the ground itself. Sculptures of gods, tombs, sphinxes, manifested themselves from the sand as if he was racing back in time and Ancient Egypt was rising again.

Suddenly, another chariot appeared from the kicked up sand and was racing beside him. The horses were white and he was cloaked in red and animal pelts. Although he couldn't see his face, Tezuka knew it was _him._

They raced side-by-side, the sandy wind whipping their faces. The chariots rumbled and the horses pounded their way through the sand. The sun was higher now, beaming down on them and ahead he could make out a gigantic temple that gleamed white in the sun.

Tezuka glanced to the side and the other chariot dissipated in a gust of sand.

As the chariot approached the temple, it was much larger than was anticipated, the massive steps leading up to it were about a length of a football field wide. The horses slowed and stopped at the steps.

Tezuka couldn't keep his eyes off the temple. What lay inside was hidden by gates on top of a hundred or so steps. Tezuka made the trek up the steps surprised that he didn't feel the least bit winded as he reached the top.

Now he stood before the stone entrance gates that dwarfed any gates to any Buddhist or Shinto shrine he had been to. Stone carvings littered the gate but the primary subjects were two figures facing the center. Both were female and had feline heads, the one on the left more square like a lioness's head and she had a headdress that resembled a mane. The other had a head of domestic cat with large ears and magnificent headdress with a solar disk on top. The figure on the left looked savage and foreboding while the other seemed benign and understanding. Two opposites.

Tezuka hesitantly placed both hands on either side and gave the great gates a mighty push. The gates began opening on their own will and he was greeted with warm, blinding sunlight.

****

"Damnit!" Edward Plantagenet of the English team cursed. His newfound lover was just lost another point to the Egyptian in the white bandanna. His strategy worked in facing the doubles team, but it would be all for naught. The man in a navy blue cowl won the first singles match. And now Joan was being sorely beaten by this man in the white bandana. Her face was red with exertion and frustration.

It was match point and Heru looked over to the bench to his captain. Master Tezuka brought his hand up and made a swift cutting motion over his throat with his thumb. Heru nodded and readied himself for the French girl's serve. After a short volley, Heru was driven to the backcourt and he hit a shallow ball that just barely made it over the net, forcing Joan to dive forward and send the ball soaring in the air.

"Oh! Chance ball," Eiji stood.

"It won't be much," Fuji said, "Look she's already set."

They looked over and Joan was already on her feet ready to receive the impending smash.

Heru bodily lifted himself in the air and smashed the ball with tremendous force. Joan however was keen on anticipating the spike and positioned herself right before the bounce.

The yellow ball was drilled into the ground but it didn't bounce. It stayed in place, spinning into the ground before stopping completely.

"Game to Egypt!" the announcer called as the Egyptian's opponent and several others stared in surprise.

"Isn't that kind of like the Zero-Shiki in smash form?" Momo's eyes narrowed at Heru.

"In all appearances, yes," Inui hummed while adjusting his glasses. "And with that, here comes the main attraction…"

"Singles 1 match coming up. Tezuka v. Le Bon," came the announcer's voice.

"I would like to think that Tezuka should be here. So he can take note of his skill," Fuji murmured, but Inui countered, "He has already experienced it first hand."

"True."

As Tora Tezuka walked out on the court, Nanjiro Echizen's throat went dry. To be honest, he was anxious to see how long this would last. Tora liked to play with his food before eating it, but then again if this whole match was any indication he also liked to get things done quickly.

The robed man crossed the court and grasped his prey's…erm…opponent's hand in a handshake.

"I would like to apologize beforehand to any damage I may cause to you," Tezuka said in a low voice.

Le Bon's brow furrowed, "Apology accepted…I guess."

Both players went to their ends of the court and readied themselves.

"France to serve."

Le Bon gripped the ball, feeling a strange uneasy feeling as he stared back at his opponent.

Let out a breath, he threw the ball in the air and hit it across the net.

In a split second, the Tiger got down low, bending his knee and bringing his racket back…

"Oh shit," Nanjiro muttered.

Tezuka received the ball and sent it zooming back with blinding speed towards Le Bon who made the fatal mistake of charging the net with the first serve. The ball zoomed past him close to his neck. The ball went out.

"Out!"

There were scattered applause, but immediately they knew something was wrong. Le Bon stood upright, still. He made no move.

Then he fell backward collapsing on the court. The crowd gasped.

"What the-?"

"That's the Tiger Shot for yeh," Nanjiro Echizen muttered rubbing his forehead, "It creates such a powerful spin that it creates its own wind current and the pulsing interferes with the blood flow to the brain causing a temporary blackout."

"Is that possible?" Inoue asked with an incredulous look.

Nanjiro nodded, "It is if you have his senses and power. Sometimes those mini currents can produce small amounts of electricity if the air is right and can cause temporary paralysis of a limb. Either way it forces his opponent to retire from the game."

"How do you know this?"

"He told me."

As medics came to attend to Le Bon, the announcer came over the speakers, "Le Bon cannot further continue and has retired from the game. Game set and match to Egypt."

Scattered applause was awarded to the victors but many were too stunned to respond.

The Egyptians left the bench to congratulate their captain.

"That's that. In an underhanded way," Momo spat.

"That underhanded way requires incredible skill, Momo," Inui murmured.

They watched the award ceremony, not sure if they should applause or not when they received the award. Many of the Egyptians were smiling, but it didn't seem that the leader was all that surprised, but he was glad they won. At least he seemed to have some sort of human aspect in him.

***

At the end of the day, the Egyptian team wandered through the empty tennis courts trying to make their way out of the park and for their hotel.

"That was easier than expected," one muttered.

"Understand that they all trained well, Akiiki," Heru responded, "To have underestimated them would have been a mistake."

"Has the master finished playing?" Chigaru addressed the man who was walking in front of him, "We could leave early, if you wish."

His master gave low, distant, "No."

Then he stopped. Standing in the walkway ahead stood the boy with glasses, staring him down.

"You have come back for more, boy?"

Tezuka didn't answer. He kept staring at the man in front, gripping his racket tightly, his intent evident.

"Tezuka!"

Both Tezukas jumped and turned at the sound of both their names. Coming down the pathway was a group of young men behind the Egyptians. As soon as they spotted the Egyptians they stopped. They knew what was coming next.

"I…still…" Tezuka's voice was barely discernible. Only the Egyptians in front of the group could hear his words, "I still have questions…"

Tora Tezuka cocked his head.

"But I am assuming you will not answer without a fight."

He chuckled, "You'd be right. But you know you can't win. So why torture yourself?"

Tezuka's eye twitched, "Closure."

After a brief pause Tora nodded towards the nearest court, "Get on the court, then."

As Tezuka opened the gate to the court, the "Tiger" followed him, taking off his outer robe.

Underneath that robe was a tight fitted athletic shirt with one sleeve cut off at the shoulder and the other extended to mid bicep. A portion of his black robes was secured around his waist by a golden belt and extended down to his ankles.

Tora Tezuka was about twice as big as his son in terms of muscle mass, muscles rippling underneath the shirt he wore. Tattoos of hieroglyphics and other designs spread down the backs of his upper and his left arm included his tell-tale tiger tattoo. Orange and vibrant.

As he stepped out onto his side of the court, he glanced up at his young opponent, "One final lesson, before I send you to the underworld."

Tezuka gripped the ball tightly in his hand.

"Your serve," Tora gestured towards him with his racket.

***

"Hey, what's going on here."

The spectators turned. Shiba, Inoue, Nanjiro, and Ryuuzaki were coming up to the group of players, curious at what they were observing.

"Tezuka has decided to face him one last time," Fuji motioned towards Tora Tezuka.

Nanjiro's jaw tensed, "Does this kid have a death wish?"

Tora stood at the ready waiting for his son to serve. Tezuka froze staring at his father for the first time in years. All he could think of was how he would not get any answers from this man and yet here he was. Keen on playing a tennis deathmatch.

The spectators were waiting under the overcast sky, the Seigaku observers concerned that their captain was getting cold feet.

Oishi shook his head in disappointment and uttered a curse that shocked most of his teammates, "Fuck."

Nanjiro was biting a nail, muttering under his breath, "Serve you Seigaku bitch."

Tezuka blinked and glanced down at the ball in his hand, before raising his eyes, hatred and sadness shining in them as he glared at his opponent.

Tora cocked his head, "Tears? The cub can't deal with the truth!"

Tezuka finally threw the ball in the air for a serve.

Not surprisingly, Tora returned with a powerful return. Tezuka wasted not time in unleashing the Teni Muho and shot the ball back. Tora easily retrieved the ball and with blinding speed and indescribable power scored a point.

Taking a short breather, Tezuka grabbed the ball and prepared for another serve. His serve this time was the Zero-Shiki serve. Incredibly difficult to return on its own. Near impossible when Teni Muho is activated.

In a flash of inky smoke Tora appeared out of nowhere to the front of the net before the ball hit the ground and launched it straight back at the server. Tezuka was recovering from the serve and couldn't brace himself in time and the ball collided with his shin, taking his leg out from underneath him. He collapsed on the ground.

Some of the regulars were covering their eyes, not being able to see their aura strengthened captain being physically beaten by the Egyptian's returns.

Yet time and time again, Tezuka got up. It was a wonder how long it would be before he would be completely obliterated under the strain of physical damage and trying to keep the Teni Muho.

Breathing was becoming harder for him. In spite of the Teni Muho, he sweating and sore and could not find any wholes. He knew his time was almost up. An ache welled in his chest at the realization that he would not get any answers. Still he pursued, staggering, just like his mother did after this man left.

Tora shook his head in playful disappointment as this boy kept coming for more. Best to put this animal out of his misery.

As the ball crossed the net, Tora got down low…

"This kid's toast," Nanjiro groaned knowing what was coming up next.

The tennis ball turned to death as it flew across the net and took out Tezuka's legs, paralyzing them. Tezuka lay face down on the court, his head turned staring at nothing.

It was over. He had hoped to get closure, but not like this. Not becoming this despicable play toy. This man made Teni Muho seem like nothing. No power enhancing skill could fool this man. Did that mean Tora Tezuka has somehow turned all of what was taught to him into principles that helped him in tennis? Did that mean that some sort of god-level has transgressed here, on a tennis court?

It was a ridiculous thought, but after all Tezuka had witnessed in his dreams, nothing made sense anymore. Life would never be the same. He could try to pick up the pieces of his life but there still would be this shadow. He had been through hell and had this step to go.

But he had nothing left. Nothing.

He spotted something beyond the fence. That cat. The Mau. The messenger of God. The message of his doom, he thought.

Tears welled in his eyes as he stared back at the cat.

_Take me away_, he thought towards the cat, hoping it would grant him this last wish.

In the distance he heard his father's voice bark, "Get up."

He paid no attention to the voice as sudden warmth engulfed him, embracing him, inviting him to submit.

He closed his eyes and released himself, letting himself go…

Tora was growing impatient. He knew that Kunimitsu had at least one more run left in him. And his "Tiger shot" should've been wearing off by now. He didn't put as much power in this shot as he usually did.

"Get up," there was no reply.

Pursing his lips, Tora spat in disappointment, "Fine, then I will finish this."

Tora headed back to the baseline.

"C'mon, c'mon, get up," Fuji seethed under his breath, fearing for his captain. But he was not moving.

Tora threw the ball in the air and hit with as much devastating power as he was known for, directly at Tezuka's body to take him out completely.

A gust of fiery wind rushed past his cheek.

Tora stood frozen, as did the crowd, not quite sure of what happened. The Egyptians glanced up and rose staring at the court with calculating looks. With widened eyes, Tora turned to glance back at the fence behind him. A hole was in the fence where the ball was shot through, the ends of the broken iron chinks glowing an orange where the plastic and metal had melted. On the ground, near the baseline was a spot where the ball hit the surface. The small circular surface was cracked, like a sledge hammer had hit that area.

His cheek muscle quivering, Tora glanced back at his opponent, staring back at him with and incredulous and speculative gaze.

His opponent was his son, but his lips tightened. Tezuka stood, straight and tall, the gaze in his eyes like nothing he could recognize of him. They were glowing a burning gold, a different presence hiding within.

The Egyptians were stunned, having some sort of clue of what this was.

Tezuka emanated a presence not entirely visible, but felt by all. It was incredibly powerful, majestic, and confusing to those who did not understand that this was no longer the Tezuka they knew.

Tora worked his jaw in annoyance and denial, before working his mouth into sickening smile. He spread his arms wide and gave a short laugh, "You have graced us with your presence!"

Tezuka didn't answer, his eyes still on Tora.

Oishi managed to tear his eyes away from the court to star at the Egyptian next to him. Heru, he remembered was his name, his steely eyes opened, glistening with unshed tears of awe and concern.

"Can you explain this? What's going on?"

Heru craned his head up trying to gather his wits, "Explain. Yes. Will you believe me? Most likely not."

Tora shook his head, "If I were any other, I would grant you offering or bow before you."

Still no answer. Tora lowered his tone, "Since you have already taken my son as an offering, you would not deny my right to combat you."

Silence ensued.

Tora grew impatient, the vein in his temple pulsing as he spat, "Answer me, Bastet!"

"Please, tell me," Oishi whispered to Heru.

Heru blinked, "Your friend relinquished his soul to one of our goddesses, as incomprehensible as it may seem."

"What?"

"Those symbols on your rackets," Inoue said to Heru, "They represent gods right?"

"Yes, the gods that guide us in our spiritual journey, among other things. Through exercise of the soul, the gods can inhabit us, in a way. But it is very dangerous. When a god's spirit enters a human body or psyche, the boundless limits of the god's power are usually too much for mortal to endure. It can result in a vegetative state as the mind and body are exhausted completely. Sometimes it's death, if the mortal does not return to his body within a certain amount of time. The only man to have gotten close was Tora with the goddess Sekhmet, the goddess of punishment of man and destruction. She is also Bastet's twin sister and in some lore an alter ego."

Tora grabbed a ball out of one of his pockets.

"A game for the gods then," Tora whispered, his usually cold voice cracking with unrecognizable emotion. He threw the ball air and as he hit it and the observers knew, this private match would be unlike anyone had ever seen or will see.

Tezuka, in flourish of gold, almost teleported to the exact spot where the ball was and launched it back with sickening power that made the trees rustle. Tora returned in kind. Their minds were not in this court in Japan, it was somewhere else. Tora was facing the huge majestic image of his son's guardian.

For the observers who weren't Egyptian priests, they saw everything, but their bound minds couldn't completely register what was going on. But they could feel every pulse of god-like power and it made them weak-kneed.

No matter where Tora hit it, Kunimitsu reached the far corners and retrieved it with incrementally expanding power, his son's vacant expression never changing as this match seemed to be of ease to him.

Tora bent down rearing for his Tiger Shot and launched the well-beaten ball over the court. This may be Bastet but she was in a young man's mortal body.

Tezuka diverged to the side in a blinding split second and brought the racket across in a slicing motion.

Tora mentally cursed and became desperate. Still he pursued. He didn't get this far just to submit to the will of this intruder entity. What sickened him the most was that his opponent didn't look like he was trying. He was toying with him. A taste of his own medicine he supposed.

No. He would not be defeated like this in front of his friends and fellow mystics.

Tezuka launched the fiery ball across the court. As soon as Tora made contact with the ball, he realized this ball was stronger and heavier than the others. He hung onto the racket for dear life, as the ball rotated and spun against the racket, fighting the force.

His muscles tensed, eyes a fiery glow as he gained control. He shot an angry glare at his opponent and braced his feet solidly on the ground growling, "I give you…the wrath of Sekhmet!"

He flung the ball back and Tezuka raised his racket to receive it.

Only the ball split into seven balls that surrounded him. In an instant, they began to pass slicing and beating at his skin. The last ball bounced off his chest and high into the air. Tora was already in the air and smashed the last ball with thundering force. It was hard to tell if it was actual thunder or the force caused the sound. Either way, it smashed back into Tezuka's chest causing to fly backwards and crashing into the ground…

***

All Tezuka could see was a bright, blinding light that surrounded him with comforting warmth. It felt so good and for once in a long while, his heart felt light and at ease. He didn't want it to ever leave.

_You have done well, my vessel. I release you._

A distant woman's voice resounded in his head and he felt that presence start to go away. He didn't want to be left alone. He reached out grasping at the light, "Wait, please don't go."

***

He blinked as he felt a drop of water grace his face. No longer was he staring at the bright warmth. The sky above him was dark and cloudy, pouring rain. He hand clutched his chest, fingers stained with small amounts of blood from the cut on his chest. But it wasn't the cuts that left him totally immobile. His body was exhausted as if it was stretched to its complete limit and more. No amount of will power could get him to move. Now, he had no will, and barely conscious.

On the other side of court, his father was staring at him, shaken, breathing hard, rain dripping down his face and hair. The spectators were watching with their jaws slack, paying no attention to the rain.

Tora moved forward, dropping his racket, and stepped over the net. For a short while, he stood over his son, gaze softening, as he was reminded of the fact that this young man was, indeed, his flesh and blood.

He bent down on his knees and gently lifted Tezuka's limp body in his arms. He stood, all sound drowned out as he carried him across the pavement and out of the court. The walk out of the court seemed so long to him, as he felt the pain of what he did twelve years ago and for the last month or so, resurface, weighing heavily in his heart.

The group parted, making way for the two Tezukas. Tora gently laid him to rest on a nearby bench that was shielded from the rain by a tree. Slowly he motioned for Heru to come forward. Heru snapped out of his gaze and obeyed, kneeling by the bench to examine the young man. He turned his head towards his master, "He'll be fine. It seems she sought naught to take complete control of him. He will regain physical and mental capacities."

The others, mainly Oishi, Fuji, and coach Ryuzaki, broke out of their stand still to hover over the Seigaku team captain. Silently Tora Tezuka motioned to Chigaru to retrieve his racket from the court.

"Take care of him. He should be fine after a while," Tora told the members crouching next to his son.

Oishi stood, eyes holding Tora's, bent on saying something. He couldn't form words and just nodded.

With that Tora turned on his heel and walked away, his team members following him, with a few glances back at the young man.

A/N: *rubs eyes* Okay I probably have a few of you going 'what the-what just happened?' Because of this chapter I may have the category changed to supernatural. I just had to have it all come together. The last chapter is next and will hopefully explain everything. The title of the chapter is a lyric from "Wars" by Hurt. It is one of their best songs ever and I recommend listening to this song if none of the others. I was listening to Lisa Gerrard songs while writing the last part of this chapter so if you want to get an idea of the process or mood listen to either the Hurt one or any of Lisa Gerrard. But we're almost done.


	22. Captain of My Soul

Disclaimer: I don't own POT. This is ending number one : the original ending. I will have an alternate ending that will be a little interesting to write. You can skip this one and go straight to the alternate ending. Or you can read this and ignore the alternate. Or read both.

Chapter 22: Captain of My Soul

_I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul._

_ -Invictus, _William Ernest Henley

"Inoue-sempai, you have got to see this."

Inoue paused from his writing when Shiba barged into his office door, camera around her neck and an envelope in her hands.

"What's the matter?"

She scrambled to his desk taking out a stack of photos from the envelope, "I found something weird while developing pictures of the Tezuka match with his father."

She laid a few photos on the table, all of Kunimitsu Tezuka in various positions and actions.

Inoue shrugged, "And?"

"These are just photos before he collapsed from that Tiger shot," Shiba laid down the rest of the photos showing the same man looking…different.

"Do you see anything strange?"

Inoue squinted at the photo. There was a light haze in the photo that looked like a glare. But that couldn't be right. It was over cast and the glare didn't cover the form of Tezuka. In fact it was coming from behind him. If Inoue looked closely, he could have sworn he saw a face in the haze.

"It's not just that one but others as well," Shiba dropped a few more photos with the same phenomenon.

"Is what they said…true?"

Inoue shook his head silently, "I have no idea…but I don't know how else to explain what we saw."

****

A knock at her door startled Ayane Tezuka for a brief moment. She dried her hands on the apron and walked over to answer the door. As soon as she did her heart stopped.

"Hello, Ayane…" his familiar low, deep voice rumbled as he smirked.

"Oh…god," she whispered taking the man in. A man she hadn't seen in twelve years. His hair had gotten longer and he had whiskers on his chin and jaw. He wore a bleach white button-up shirt and dark slacks. But there was no mistaking it...

Ayane inhaled, tears welling in her eyes as she shut the door in Tora's face. She turned to walk back to her chores, but whirled around when she heard the door open.

"Get out of my house!" she spat, tears streaming down her face. "I _will _call the police."

Tora advanced on her, and as she turned to reach for the phone, he grabbed a hold of her wrists and spun her to him.

"Not until I talk to you."

"What is there to talk about, Tora?" Ayane cried through her tears, "You abandoned us! As far as I'm concerned you are no longer my husband. Please leave…before Kunimitsu returns."

"I don't think that would be an issue," Tora's voice was like thick liquid, and it unnerved her, "He knows the hard way what will happen if he gets in my way."

Alarms went off in her head. Ayane's shock and anger towards this man was fueled to rage and concern. She slapped him hard across the face, "What did you do to my son!"

"OUR son," Tora corrected her, but she shook her head.

"You gave up that right when you left us. Do you have any idea what we have been through? After you left, I couldn't keep my body healthy and couldn't work. Kunimitsu too had fallen to such circumstances, having nearly dying of the fever and institutionalized in almost less than a month."

Tora's face softened portraying a stoic form of guilt and…regret? He stared down at his wife. She lowered her head to hide her tears, but he could feel her shoulders quake.

"Ayane," he whispered. "I am truly sorry for all of the pain I put you through. If I had know it would be this hard, I would have thought twice about leaving." He lifted her chin up and brushed a few tears away from her cheeks. He couldn't help but give a small smile, "You are still so beautiful."

Her heart jumped. He sounded like the Tora she knew. The man she fell in love with. Tora used this silence to gently lead her to the living room couch. He sat her down, taking brief notice to the family portrait with his head torn off.

"I returned to give you this," Tora reached into his back pocket and took out a very thick envelope. He handed her the envelope and as she opened it she found it was filled with large bills.

"And there's more where that came from."

Ayane was speechless, "What's this?"

"My winnings from the invitational. My teammates' winnings are going towards rebuilding the temples in Egypt. But my own are for you."

She shoved the bills back into the envelope, "Money won't take away all that you have done. We were on the brink of extinction because of your selfishness."

"I know and I realize that. I left for several reasons, many of them selfish," he bent down in front of her, "But just because I left, doesn't mean I abandoned you from my thoughts. I spent mornings looking towards the rising sun thinking about what you were doing, what Kunimitsu had grown up to be like."

He reached back to cup the side of her pale neck, fingers playing with the strands of dark hair at the nape of her neck. Ayane shuddered, a little uncomfortable at feeling a man's tender touch after so long.

Tora continued, his voice faltering a little, "And in those twelve years, I have not touched or thought of another woman the way I do you."

Ayane swallowed, feeling how dry her throat suddenly became. She raised her hand gently removed Tora's hand from her skin.

"Don't do this, Tora. I can't just accept everything you've done."

Disappointment etched in his face, Tora nodded," I understand. I must return to my duties in Egypt…and I plan on taking Kunimitsu."

She stood abruptly, "Why? What for?"

"A temporary arrangement. It will help him become a better tennis player and will aid him in his spirituality."

Ayane could feel her heart crumbling once more. Now her son would be taken away.

"Of course it will be of his decision. I only wanted to notify you of my intentions."

"When are to leave for Egypt?"

"We leave in about a week."

A week. That was long enough for Kunimitsu to make a decision. Ayane didn't want to become a hindrance to her son's tennis career any longer.

"I will see if I can visit more often," Tora said. "Or if I can arrange for you to see me."

"Can't we ever just be together, like we were?"

Tora sighed, "In due time maybe. But I cannot neglect the promise I made to the temple. Though I am certain they would understand, abandoning them would be just like what I did to you, and I while do that no longer."

Ayane nodded her understanding. She didn't know if she was ready to be a couple with Tora so soon. She'd have to let her son and father get used to the idea and that wasn't going to happen over night. No, a distant relationship would be the best avenue, if Tora decided he wanted to be a part of the family again.

Tora approached the door, "Goodbye Ayane. I will miss you."

Before Tora could make another move, Ayane stopped him, placing her hands on his shoulders and turning him to face her. A hand went up to caress his cheek while another went to stroke his hair as she stared into his beautiful eyes. Both her hands resting on his cheeks, she leaned forward and crushed her lips against his, sharing their first kiss in years.

Once they broke apart, Ayane whispered, "Please, Tora. Just one time together, before you go."

Tora kissed her again, "As you wish. For old times' sake."

Tora lifted Ayane in his arms and carried her upstairs.

****

"Hey Tezuka," Oishi greeted his captain finding him on a hill in the park, leaning against a railing, overlooking a portion of the city.

"Oishi."

Oishi mimicked Tezuka's posture. "Tezuka, what do you think happened…then? If you don't mind me asking."

Tezuka's gaze was still transfixed on the setting sun. "I can't help but wondering if it was all a dream. Just an illusion."

"Do you truly believe that? We all saw something we can't explain. Your point of view may be different than ours, but it was like we were watching something we weren't allowed to."

"I can't quite remember what went on. I wish I could," Tezuka said distantly, remembering that last thing he felt of the ordeal.

Oishi shrugged and smiled, "Yet, you seem well, like something heavy had been lifted off your chest."

Tezuka sighed, nodding, a hint of smile gracing the corners of his mouth, "It's like my soul has been rejuvenated."

"That's good…do you think you'll come back to the team for the tournament?"

Tezuka looked down and began rubbing his hands together, giving a brief pause, "I'm not sure…I missed a lot of school and I am trying to work overtime to catch up. Being captain of the team again may prove to be a little much."

He looked over at Oishi. Oishi wasn't focused on him; instead he was staring past him. "Tezuka," Oishi nodded, signaling that someone was behind him.

Tezuka turned his head.

"Is there a reason for you to be here?" Tezuka asked coldly. His father stood before him, Heru and Chigaru tailing. His father looked different than the last time he saw him. Instead of the burnoose and cloak, Tora wore casual clothes.

"To see that you live," Tora replied sarcastically.

"If you're only here to berate me then I suggest you leave," Tezuka turned his gaze back to the cityscape. Tora sighed and approached the railing, leaning on it and gazing out at the sun.

"You wanted answers…" Tora lowered his head and began tracing patterns on the railing with his thumb. "You want to know why I left?"

Tezuka didn't grace him with a response, but Tora began his story anyway, "Tennis was very popular back in the day, but that also made it…dangerous. Not necessarily in the physical way, but players became bloodthirsty and crooked. The sport was a hot thing for gamblers that corrupted the game. I had this misfortune to run into some less than desirable folk. I was set up and I promised to lose the regional matches so they could haul in the odds. But when I stepped on to that court, I broke the deal. I feared that they would seek vengeance and the longer I stayed in Japan the greater the chances of them finding me and harming you and your mother."

"The yakuza?" Oishi gasped and Tora nodded.

"I did all that because tennis became an obsession. It was the only thing worthwhile. I had no room in my soul for family or friends," Tora continue, "So I had to search. Search for something else…to polish away the game's hold on me. That's why I went to Egypt."

Tezuka didn't know what to think. It gave a different perspective on the situation. He was still angry, but what for? His father did what he thought best for them. But he was gone for twelve years, and gave no notice to them that he was okay or anything. For all they knew he could have been dead, and without notice the Tezuka family spent those years wondering.

"So why did you come back?" Tezuka's voice was low and thick.

"One of the young men who goes to the temple had found an article in a tennis magazine chronicling a Japanese tennis tournament with high school kids. He was shocked to find you in one of the photos. He thought our names and resemblance was too coincidental. It came as a surprise to me to see that you have thrived in tennis, but I was…disappointed. I never wanted you to sucked into the politics tennis had become and end up like me."

"So you hid it from me as a kid," Tezuka said and Tora turned his head to give him a hard stare as Tezuka continued, "You think I wouldn't notice what you were?"

"I would have hoped that you wouldn't care."

"And the abuse? What you put me through?"

"To break you, boy. To analyze what life and soul is, before you are consumed with the game and make the same mistakes I did. I researched you and I found that my son viewed tennis the same way as I did. An obsession, an escape from what really matters. You are intelligent and heartless and soulless, with little compassion for others."

"Showing mercy to an opponent is an insult."

Tora's eyes narrowed, "Not if it gives them a chance amend their mistakes and live again. Why exactly do you play tennis? To rebel against the idea of me? To catch me in hopes of tearing me apart? To become me?"

Tezuka's jaw quivered as he looked down, "It was something I became skilled at. It was logical for me to pursue it. And when I walk on the court, I can show my skill, my hard work that I endured through life."

"Any coach would welcome such a response, but as a spiritualist I do not. Not the way you go on the court. Your soul may have a switch on point when you are on the court but when you leave, it turns off to the real world. I tried to make you see the value of your own soul through the only way you would pay attention to. I almost gave up. Luckily the Gods saw fit to intervene, perhaps even before I arrived here."

Tezuka's head jerked up, "You mean…that wasn't…just a dream?"

"It was however you perceive it."

"Why would gods intervene in a tennis match?"

Tora smirked, "The Gods aren't tennis lovers. They take form in whatever way they can. For you, your struggle and mine was in a tennis match and they saw fit to use that as an opportunity. It's like that with the rest of my teammates. They used tennis to channel their spirits and souls."

Tezuka nodded understanding some of what his father meant, "The Egyptians sought to expand their soul through knowledge and innovation. The pyramids, the Sphinx, their tombs, their mathematical discoveries, and physical developments were all to strengthen the ka."

Tora drew back, eyebrows raised. His two comrades looked at each other.

"I'm impressed…" Tora said.

"I have witnessed a lot of things recently so I felt I had no choice but to research it."

Tora laughed, "Boy, no amount of books can tell you the extent of what the ka can do."

"But it was put to the test, wasn't it—my ka?"

"The ka can only do so much within the confines of the human body."

Tezuka sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes, remembering the fact that he could not move his body after that whole ordeal.

Tora reached into his back pocket and took out an envelope and tossed it at his feet. Tezuka eyed the envelope with curiosity then looked back up at his father, "What's this?"

"A ticket to Egypt. A ticket for more answers."

Tezuka picked it up. Oishi looked over Tezuka's shoulder at the envelope, his face drained of color. Would Tezuka leave them for good? He now had the means.

"You don't have to make a decision now."

"I can't," Tezuka said resolutely holding out the envelope. "I cannot leave my family…or my duties. Wasn't that the point of your visit?"

Grinning, Tora shook his head, "You are right. I thought to give you this opportunity. To conquer your dream that I so indirectly destroyed."

Tezuka just shook his head.

Tora's lips thinned and pushed the envelope back into Tezuka's possession, "Think about it."

The spiritualist straightened and joined his comrades; "If you ever change your mind you are welcome at the temple. We can have a rematch."

Before he turned to leave Tezuka's father said, "I am proud of you. Take care of your mother for me."

The three Egyptians disappeared and Tezuka stood staring after them with the envelope still in hands.

"What are you going to do?" Oishi asked, breaking the silence. "Are you thinking of going to Egypt."

The captain knitted his brow, looking down at the tickets, "No. Not now."

Oishi felt relief flood his chest. There was a chance they would get their captain back. It seemed that fate had finally given them all a break.

****

Tezuka walked into his home announcing his entrance and taking off his shoes. He looked up as his mother turned to face him from the couch in the living room. The look on her face said it all. She had been crying. Her husband had been here to see her.

He didn't know what to do. She was obviously very emotional. Tezuka entered the living and Ayane ran into his arms, letting her tears fall. His grip on her was tight, hoping that he could indirectly give her his strength. They stood there, silently supporting each other.

****

The Seigaku team was practicing on the court, though they weren't working nearly as hard as they usually do. They were still recovering from the shock from what they had witnessed a few days prior. Oishi, now interim captain, tried his best to rouse them, "C'mon now. Pick up the pace!"

The team practiced a little harder but it was obvious that their hearts weren't into it. Oishi glanced back at Coach Ryuzaki. She stared at them all with disappointment etched into her face. Their focus was gone.

Oishi was busy massaging the bridge of his nose, when they all heard the gate to the court open. They turned finding Tezuka standing there with a racket in hand.

There was something different about him. He had this strange aura of pure power that was felt and not seen. He always had a powerful air to him, but now…now it was stronger, more resolute. As soon as his foot stepped onto the court, the power seemed to increase tenfold, and the players could feel it beneath their feet.

Tezuka approached Oishi and Coach Ryuzaki, "Oishi, Sensei, I would like to resume my position as captain. If you'll have me."

"B-by all means," Oishi stuttered and gestured to the rest of the teammates who stared at their captain in awe.

"These past few months have been difficult for all of us," Tezuka said to his teammates. "I had conflicting thoughts about whether or not if I should return as your captain and as your teammate. Or if I should return to tennis at all."

There was a brief pause as Tezuka glanced to the far corner of the court, a small, and barely noticeable smile on his face, "But you have stood by side through this and it would be unfair to you all if I just left you. No one could ask for a better more talented bunch."

He continued, "And I know for a fact that we will take away the Nationals this year, and become the most amazing tennis players Japan had ever seen."

The Seigaku team inhaled, feeling utterly empowered by their captain and shouted their agreement, "Hell yeah we're taking the Nationals!"

As the team resumed their practice, they returned their focus, glad that Tezuka was back. They practiced hard, seeking to best themselves. While the team was practicing, Tezuka left the group and approached the far corner of the court. Sitting behind the fence, was the Mau, the so-called messenger to the gods.

Tezuka bent down and said softly, "Thank you, I guess."

He poked his finger through the hole in the fence and stroked the cat's nose. Finally, Tezuka stood up and walked back to the group, having the calming feeling that some force or another would ensure the success and happiness of his friends.

A/N: The end of the story. This is Ending one. There will be an alternate ending that is slightly different than this. This was my original ending but I thought up of another one that was just too good not to post so you can read this one or the other one or both. I don't care.


	23. Alternate Ending: Master of My Fate

Disclaimer: This is the alternate ending that is a little odd and may make no sense. The original ending was the chapter before this.

Alternate Ending: Master of My Fate

_I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul._

_ -Invictus, _William Ernest Henley

///

"Hey Tezuka," Oishi greeted his captain finding him on a hill in the park, leaning against a railing, overlooking a portion of the city.

"Oishi."

Oishi mimicked Tezuka's posture. "Tezuka, what do you think happened…then? If you don't mind me asking."

Tezuka's gaze was still transfixed on the setting sun. "I can't help but wondering if it was all a dream. Just an illusion."

"Do you truly believe that? We all saw something we can't explain. Your point of view may be different than ours, but it was like we were watching something we weren't allowed to."

"I can't quite remember what went on. I wish I could," Tezuka said distantly, remembering that last thing he felt of the ordeal.

Oishi shrugged and smiled, "Yet, you seem well, like something heavy had been lifted off your chest."

Tezuka sighed, nodding, a hint of smile gracing the corners of his mouth, "It's like my soul has been rejuvenated."

"That's good…do you think you'll come back to the team for the tournament?"

Tezuka looked down and began rubbing his hands together, giving a brief pause, "I'm not sure…I missed a lot of school and I am trying to work overtime to catch up. Being captain of the team again may prove to be a little much."

He looked over at Oishi. Oishi wasn't focused on him; instead he was staring past him. "Tezuka," Oishi nodded, signaling that someone was behind him.

Tezuka turned his head.

"Is there a reason for you to be here?" Tezuka asked coldly. His father stood before him, Heru and Chigaru tailing. His father looked different than the last time he saw him. Instead of the burnoose and cloak, Tora wore casual clothes.

"To see that you live," Tora replied sarcastically.

"If you're only here to berate me then I suggest you leave," Tezuka turned his gaze back to the cityscape. Tora sighed and approached the railing, leaning on it and gazing out at the sun.

"You wanted answers…" Tora lowered his head and began tracing patterns on the railing with his thumb. "You want to know why I left?"

Tezuka didn't grace him with a response, but Tora began his story anyway, "Tennis was very popular back in the day, but that also made it…dangerous. Not necessarily in the physical way, but players became bloodthirsty and crooked. The sport was a hot thing for gamblers that corrupted the game. I had this misfortune to run into some less than desirable folk. I was set up and I promised to lose the regional matches so they could haul in the odds. But when I stepped on to that court, I broke the deal. I feared that they would seek vengeance and the longer I stayed in Japan the greater the chances of them finding me and harming you and your mother."

"The yakuza?" Oishi gasped and Tora nodded.

"I did all that because tennis became an obsession. It was the only thing worthwhile. I had no room in my soul for family or friends," Tora continue, "So I had to search. Search for something else…to polish away the game's hold on me. That's why I went to Egypt."

Tezuka didn't know what to think. It gave a different perspective on the situation. He was still angry, but what for? His father did what he thought best for them. But he was gone for twelve years, and gave no notice to them that he was okay or anything. For all they knew he could have been dead, and without notice the Tezuka family spent those years wondering.

"So why did you come back?" Tezuka's voice was low and thick.

"One of the young men who goes to the temple had found an article in a tennis magazine chronicling a Japanese tennis tournament with high school kids. He was shocked to find you in one of the photos. He thought our names and resemblance was too coincidental. It came as a surprise to me to see that you have thrived in tennis, but I was…disappointed. I never wanted you to sucked into the politics tennis had become and end up like me."

"So you hid it from me as a kid," Tezuka said and Tora turned his head to give him a hard stare as Tezuka continued, "You think I wouldn't notice what you were?"

"I would have hoped that you wouldn't care."

"And the abuse? What you put me through?"

"To break you, boy. To analyze what life and soul is, before you are consumed with the game and make the same mistakes I did. I researched you and I found that my son viewed tennis the same way as I did. An obsession, an escape from what really matters. You are intelligent and heartless and soulless, with little compassion for others."

"Showing mercy to an opponent is an insult."

Tora's eyes narrowed, "Not if it gives them a chance amend their mistakes and live again. Why exactly do you play tennis? To rebel against the idea of me? To catch me in hopes of tearing me apart? To become me?"

Tezuka's jaw quivered as he looked down, "It was something I became skilled at. It was logical for me to pursue it. And when I walk on the court, I can show my skill, my hard work that I endured through life."

"Any coach would welcome such a response, but as a spiritualist I do not. Not the way you go on the court. Your soul may have a switch on point when you are on the court but when you leave, it turns off to the real world. I tried to make you see the value of your own soul through the only way you would pay attention to. I almost gave up. Luckily the Gods saw fit to intervene, perhaps even before I arrived here."

Tezuka's head jerked up, "You mean…that wasn't…just a dream?"

"It was however you perceive it."

"Why would gods intervene in a tennis match?"

Tora smirked, "The Gods aren't tennis lovers. They take form in whatever way they can. For you, your struggle and mine was in a tennis match and they saw fit to use that as an opportunity. It's like that with the rest of my teammates. They used tennis to channel their spirits and souls."

Tezuka nodded understanding some of what his father meant, "The Egyptians sought to expand their soul through knowledge and innovation. The pyramids, the Sphinx, their tombs, their mathematical discoveries, and physical developments were all to strengthen the ka."

Tora drew back, eyebrows raised. His two comrades looked at each other.

"I'm impressed…" Tora said.

"I have witnessed a lot of things recently so I felt I had no choice but to research it."

Tora laughed, "Boy, no amount of books can tell you the extent of what the ka can do."

"But it was put to the test, wasn't it—my ka?"

"The ka can only do so much within the confines of the human body."

Tezuka sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes, remembering the fact that he could not move his body after that whole ordeal.

Tora reached into his back pocket and took out an envelope and tossed it at his feet. Tezuka eyed the envelope with curiosity then looked back up at his father, "What's this?"

"A ticket to Egypt. A ticket for more answers."

Tezuka picked it up. Oishi looked over Tezuka's shoulder at the envelope, his face drained of color. Would Tezuka leave them for good? He now had the means.

"You don't have to make a decision now."

"I can't," Tezuka said resolutely holding out the envelope. "I cannot leave my family…or my duties. Wasn't that the point of your visit?"

Grinning, Tora shook his head, "You are right. I thought to give you this opportunity. To conquer your dream that I so indirectly destroyed."

Tezuka just shook his head.

Tora's lips thinned and pushed the envelope back into Tezuka's possession, "Think about it."

The spiritualist straightened and joined his comrades; "If you ever change your mind you are welcome at the temple. We can have a rematch."

Before he turned to leave Tezuka's father said, "It is time for you to wake up son. Wake up…."

*****

"Hey, Tezuka, wake up. It's time for lunch."

Tezuka was roused from his sleep. He opened his eyes finding that he was in a familiar sparse room. At his side was a burly young man wearing a white uniform.

"Takeshi…I had that dream…" Tezuka said.

"Yeah, you were pretty deep into it, pal. It's time for lunch."

Tezuka swung his legs to the side of the bed, "If it's alright I would like to have my mother and grandfather visit again. She seemed to be so healthy when I saw her last week, I hope she's still doing fine."

Takeshi gave a brief pause, his face hesitant, but he gave a nod, "Sure, we'll arrange something. But first you have to have lunch and take your medicine. You wouldn't want to disappoint Dr. Shigashi."

Tezuka stood and nodded. As Takeshi lead him to the mess hall he said, "And you can teach me some tennis and tell me all about your teammates, if you're good."

"Will do, sir," Tezuka responded as he went to take up a tray for food.

As Takeshi kept watch over him, Dr. Shigashi came up behind him, "Has he had that dream again?"

"He said he had."

Dr. Shigashi clicked her tongue in dismay and Takeshi folded his arms and shook his head, "He still thinks he has been in contact with his mother when in reality she has been dead for six months now."

"I think it's his mind's way of coping with the loss. He may never snap out of it. Those dreams are just an alternate reality he can escape to."

"You know," Takeshi cocked his head, "For someone in a place for the mentally delusional he sure as hell can play tennis."

A/N: Alternate ending that is meant to make you think.


End file.
